Shon
09-28-2004, 06:34 PM
WASHINGTON -- A key subcommittee recently approved legislation that would establish felony level penalties and otherwise strengthen the federal animal fighting law.
The bill -- H.R. 4264 -- passed by a voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Thursday morning.
“We are grateful to the members of the subcommittee for recognizing the need to give law enforcement officials the tools to crack down on illegal animal fighting,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
Representatives Mark Green (R-WI) and Elton Gallegly (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4264 in May. Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-NC) and Ranking Democrat Bobby Scott (D-VA) are cosponsors of the bill and voiced their support for it during today’s subcommittee mark-up.
Speaking at today's mark-up, Rep. Green noted that "more than 150 local police and sheriffs departments from across the country have called on Congress to enact this legislation. They want the federal government to step up to the plate and join with them in cracking down on illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, which so often involve interstate participants."
The legislation establishes felony penalties for animal fighting violations and bans interstate commerce in the sharp metal implements -- knives and gaffs -- that cockfighters strap to birds’ legs. The bill is modeled after legislation (H.R. 1532/S. 736) introduced last year in the House by Representatives Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) and Robert Andrews (D-NJ) and in the Senate by Senators John Ensign (R-NV), Wayne Allard (R-CO) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), which has won the support of the Bush Administration and a broad array of law enforcement, agriculture industry, animal protection, and veterinary groups. Two hundred and two Representatives and 52 Senators are now cosponsoring the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.
“Dogfighting and cockfighting are cruel and barbaric practices, routinely associated with other criminal activities,” said Pacelle. “Felony-level penalties at the federal and state levels are the most effective way to crack down on this organized criminal activity. Misdemeanor penalties don’t provide a meaningful deterrent. They’re considered a ‘cost of doing business.’ And prosecutors are reluctant to take cases involving only misdemeanor penalties.”
Animal fighting involves pitting two animals against each other for the purpose of entertainment and illegal gambling. Animals are often drugged to make them hyper-aggressive and forced to keep fighting even after suffering grievous injuries. Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, and is a felony in 48 states. Cockfighting is illegal in every state except Louisiana and parts of New Mexico, and is a felony in 31 states.
The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act will “enhance USDA’s ability to safeguard the health of U.S. poultry against deadly diseases, such as exotic Newcastle disease [END] and avian influenza,” according to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, who noted that cockfighting activity contributed to the spread of END in 2002-2003, “which cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $200 million to eradicate, and cost the U.S. poultry industry many millions more in lost export markets.” Cockfighting has also been implicated in the deaths of at least three children in Asia in 2004 who were exposed through cockfighting activity to bird flu.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization with more than eight million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and fieldwork. The non-profit organization, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2004, is based in Washington, DC and has 10 regional offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org (http://www.hsus.org).
The bill -- H.R. 4264 -- passed by a voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Thursday morning.
“We are grateful to the members of the subcommittee for recognizing the need to give law enforcement officials the tools to crack down on illegal animal fighting,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
Representatives Mark Green (R-WI) and Elton Gallegly (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4264 in May. Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-NC) and Ranking Democrat Bobby Scott (D-VA) are cosponsors of the bill and voiced their support for it during today’s subcommittee mark-up.
Speaking at today's mark-up, Rep. Green noted that "more than 150 local police and sheriffs departments from across the country have called on Congress to enact this legislation. They want the federal government to step up to the plate and join with them in cracking down on illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, which so often involve interstate participants."
The legislation establishes felony penalties for animal fighting violations and bans interstate commerce in the sharp metal implements -- knives and gaffs -- that cockfighters strap to birds’ legs. The bill is modeled after legislation (H.R. 1532/S. 736) introduced last year in the House by Representatives Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) and Robert Andrews (D-NJ) and in the Senate by Senators John Ensign (R-NV), Wayne Allard (R-CO) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), which has won the support of the Bush Administration and a broad array of law enforcement, agriculture industry, animal protection, and veterinary groups. Two hundred and two Representatives and 52 Senators are now cosponsoring the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.
“Dogfighting and cockfighting are cruel and barbaric practices, routinely associated with other criminal activities,” said Pacelle. “Felony-level penalties at the federal and state levels are the most effective way to crack down on this organized criminal activity. Misdemeanor penalties don’t provide a meaningful deterrent. They’re considered a ‘cost of doing business.’ And prosecutors are reluctant to take cases involving only misdemeanor penalties.”
Animal fighting involves pitting two animals against each other for the purpose of entertainment and illegal gambling. Animals are often drugged to make them hyper-aggressive and forced to keep fighting even after suffering grievous injuries. Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, and is a felony in 48 states. Cockfighting is illegal in every state except Louisiana and parts of New Mexico, and is a felony in 31 states.
The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act will “enhance USDA’s ability to safeguard the health of U.S. poultry against deadly diseases, such as exotic Newcastle disease [END] and avian influenza,” according to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, who noted that cockfighting activity contributed to the spread of END in 2002-2003, “which cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $200 million to eradicate, and cost the U.S. poultry industry many millions more in lost export markets.” Cockfighting has also been implicated in the deaths of at least three children in Asia in 2004 who were exposed through cockfighting activity to bird flu.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization with more than eight million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and fieldwork. The non-profit organization, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2004, is based in Washington, DC and has 10 regional offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org (http://www.hsus.org).