PA: Harrisburg taking aim at 'scourge' of dog-fighting

Harrisburg taking aim at 'scourge' of dog-fighting
Updated Feb 12, 3:37 PM; Posted Feb 12, 12:52 PM

By Barbara Miller

A campaign to eliminate dog-fighting - and the illegal gambling associated with it - will be launching this spring in Harrisburg.

The city is already fighting the cruel practice, with three felony arrests in the past year, said William Sandstrom, one of Harrisburg's two dog law officers.

But a state gaming grant has provided Harrisburg additional funds to pay for billboards and a media campaign to help generate tips against the "scourge of dog-fighting," said Joyce Davis, city spokeswoman.

The city received a two-year grant totaling $275,000, and has used about $27,000 on the media campaign.

Harrisburg police charge six people after dog fight with pit bull named 'Menace'

Harrisburg police charge six people after dog fight with pit bull named 'Menace'

The owners of "Menace" allegedly beat up a dog owner after the dog fight, knocking the victim unconscious.

Sandstrom, who worked for the Humane Society for 14 years before joining the city as an animal control officer in 2016, said dog-fighting has existing in the area for years.

"It's very underground...it's hard to detect," he said, particularly in winter, when dog-fighting heads inside basements, warehouses and garages.

Sandstrom said they're still trying to determine how big of a problem it is in Harrisburg.

But last year, three people were charged with felonies associated with dog-fighting, and one person was charged with a misdemeanor for having dog-fighting paraphernalia. One of those cases is headed for trial next month, he said.
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Sandstrom said he's heard of dog fights in which the animals' owners receive as much as $5,000 on top of the gambling purse.

The new state dog law has "upped the ante" regarding dog-fighting, Sandstrom said. It is illegal to be in attendance at a dog fight, not only participate in it.

"If convicted, you will go to jail," he said.

A new form of dog-fighting heading here from Florida and the south is "trunking," Sandstrom said.

Fighting dogs that are bred smaller are put in a trunk, and the owners drive around while they fight, playing loud music to hide their barks.

After a pre-determined amount of time, they open the trunk and see which is alive or dead.

So far, he hasn't seen any of these cases in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg man charged with having dog-fighting items, flea-infested pit bull named 'Snake' in dirty basement

Harrisburg man charged with having dog-fighting items, flea-infested pit bull named 'Snake' in dirty basement

A Harrisburg man has been charged with cruelty to animals after police say dog-fighting materials were found in his home, along with a flea-infested pit bull named "Snake" in an unsanitary basement.

Each year hundreds of citations are issued for animal control violations, which can range from allowing a dog to run unrestrained to lack of rabies shots.

Signs of dog-fighting include:

Animals that are severely scarred or have fresh wounds.
Cropped ears and docked tails.
Large groups of vehicles and people gathering at a location.
High-pitched squealing barks coming from dogs.

The Human Society offers these additional tips:

An inordinate number of pit bull-type dogs being kept in one location, especially multiple dogs who are chained and seem unsocialized.
Dogs with scars on their faces, front legs, and stifle area (hind end and thighs).
Dogfighting training equipment such as treadmills used to build dogs' endurance, "break sticks" used to pry apart the jaws of dogs locked in battle, tires or "springpoles" (usually a large spring with rope attached to either end) hanging from tree limbs, or unusual foot traffic coming and going from a location at odd hours.

Tips regarding dog-fighting can be given by calling 311 in Harrisburg, and the Humane Society of the United States is offering a $5,000 reward.

Libre's Law takes effect: What you need to know about new animal cruelty measures

Libre's Law, the set of animal cruelty measures named for the puppy rescued "hours from death" last year, took effect Monday.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/02/harrisburg_fighting_scourge_of.html

Libre's Law:

Animal owners should be aware of a series of changes that took effect Monday:

Increased penalties for animal cruelty, including the possibility of 90 days to seven years in jail and/or fines ranging from $300 to $15,000.
Extention of animal cruelty statutes from dogs and cats to horses.
Mandatory forfeiture of the animal upon conviction.
Tethered dogs must be provided water and shade and cannot spend more than nine hours of a given 24-hour period tethered. When temperatures are above 90 degrees, dogs cannot be tethered for more than 30 minutes. The leash must be three times the length of the pet or 10 feet, whichever is greater.
Vets and other professionals are shielded from lawsuits for reporting allegations of animal cruelty.
A new grading system for animal abuse that includes aggravated cruelty for cases in which the animal suffers serious bodily injury or death.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/08/libres_law_tethering_dog.html

 

"High-pitched squealing barks coming from dogs."

I'm fucked lol.. All my dogs do that when working....