Yesterday was a banner day for Alabama when the Alabama Attorney General, Troy King, held a press conference to announce his support for stronger animal fighting laws in our state. This press conference also announced the launch of the Humane Society of the United States’ $5000 reward program to those who provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in animal fighting. Attorney General King gave his support to working on strengthening Alabama’s weak laws in regards to Cockfighting. Attendees to yesterday’s conference were:

Mindy Gilbert - Alabama State Director for the Humane Society of the United States.

Laura Bevans – Director for Southeast Operations, Humane Society of the United States

Conan Devine – President, Alabama Animal Control Association

Rea Cord – President, Alabama Humane Federation

Renee Jones – Executive Director Humane Society of Escambia County

Mike Lambert - Police Chief, Flomaton Alabama

Sheba – The sad STAR. Sheba, an emaciated pit bull terrier mix, has fighting scars slashed across her brown nose after a 16-year-old forced her to fight with another dog. She was rescued by Renee Jones and Chief Lambert in Escambia County and this gentle sole was the only too real example of the awful results of animal fighting.

Below are various media reports and links to TV coverage and when the actual Press Release is posted to the Attorney General’s website.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Humane Society of the United States rates Alabama's cockfighting law as the weakest in the nation.

Now, that organization and Attorney General Troy King say they will work together to get the Legislature to change the law from a misdemeanor to a felony. King says he would like to make the cockfighting law like Alabama's dogfighting law, which the Humane Society rates as one of the country's best.

The Humane Society also announced it is offering $5,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in illegal animal fighting.

Reward program counters lucrative animal fighting

There are those in the state who make money by arranging animal fights. Now, the state wants others to make money on the people who arrange them.

The Humane Society of the United States, working with Attorney General Troy King's office, will offer $5,000 to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of people involved in cockfighting and dog fighting in the state.

The new reward program is part of a nationwide effort to help states shutdown illegal animal fighting operations.

"Animal fighting is a horribly cruel practice," said King. "Anyone who participates in it should pay a price for their crime."

Animal fighting is a crime in Alabama. Dog fighting is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000. Cockfighting is only a misdemeanor, and carries a maximum fine of $50.

King said the cockfighting law hasn't been updated since 1896. He said cockfighting should at the very least be on par with the state's dog-fighting statue. Because Alabama's cockfighting law is so old, the Humane Society has designated it the weakest in the nation.

Animal fighting, particularly dog fighting is on the rise in Alabama, and throughout the nation, according to Mindy Gilbert, state director of the Humane Society. Gilbert said a very conservative estimate is that 40,000 people are involved in some level of organized dog fighting nationwide.

"There are not any retrievable statistics on unorganized dog fighting among people like your backyard hobbyist," she said.

Increasingly, young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are becoming involved in the illegal dog-fighting culture that often attracts other criminal activities such as illegal gambling and drugs.

Renee Jones, director of the Escambia County Humane Society, said she believes the glamorization of dog fighting by rap artists is playing a role.

"If you look around, pit bulls have become a real status symbol for young men," she said, of the breed of dogs that has become increasingly synonymous with illegal fighting.

The public became more aware of the problem last year when Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick was sent to prison for having a dog fighting ring, said Rea Cord, president of the Alabama Humane Federation and director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.

"A lot of people are just not aware, particularly about the profit involved in dog fighting," she said.

Law enforcement officials in Alabama have seized thousands of dollars at both dog and cock fights. Two years ago a drug raid on a cockfighting pit in Gadsden netted $90,000 in cash.

Lea Turbert, marketing and development manager for the Montgomery Humane Society, said the money is what draws people to the mostly underground activity.

"It's rampant and it happens in the city and the county everyday," she said, pointing to the 15 to 20 calls deputies receive each week about animal fighting.

Turbert said an incentive like the reward program might help law enforcement officers connect with people who are closer to the inner circle of dog-fighting operations.

"When there's money involved more people are likely to come forward," she said. "But there are some great good-hearted people who don't care about any monetary reward. They just care about the animals."

If you also go to this link http://www.wsfa.com/Global/category.asp?C=1190 go to the inset video and then go to the scrolling bar with various topics. Scroll right until you get the the “Dogfighting Hurts” link and you can see the broadcast from this morning on the Press Conference.

The Birmingham News

Humane Society of U.S. announces $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in animal fighting

Thursday, August 07, 2008

KIM CHANDLER

News staff writer

MONTGOMERY - Sheba, an emaciated pit bull terrier mix, has fighting scars slashed across her brown nose after a 16-year-old forced her to fight with another dog, according to animal cruelty investigators.

Attorney General Troy King and animal advocates said Wednesday that too often illegal animal fights go unreported, and they're hoping a new reward program will urge people to come forward.

The Humane Society of the United States nationwide is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person involved in illegal animal fighting.

"Animal fighting is a horribly cruel practice, and anyone who participates in it should pay a price for their crime," King said.

"We are glad to partner with The Humane Society to offer this new reward and help put those who fight animals out of business for good."

Dog fighting and cockfighting, in both backyard fights and in money-drenched organized derbies, is common across the Southeast, animal advocates said.

"Sometimes it takes a little bit of difference to get people involved. This might make the difference," Rea Cord, president of the Alabama Humane Federation, said of the new reward.

King said he hoped to strengthen Alabama's cockfighting law, which the Humane Society ranks as the weakest in the nation because it hasn't been changed since 1896.

While dog fighting is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment and a $5,000 fine, cockfighting is a misdemeanor, and the century-old law sets the maximum fine at $50.

"Such a small fine by today's standards is seen as merely the cost of doing business. A $50 slap on the wrist doesn't come close to offsetting potential gambling winnings that run into the tens of thousands of dollars at large cockfight derbies," Mindy Gilbert, Alabama state director for the Humane Society, said.

Gilbert said 37 states punish cockfighting as a felony.

Renee Jones, director of the Escambia County Humane Society, said most arrests in animal fighting cases occur after neighbors or family members get disgusted and call police.

"It is very important the community open their eyes, and not just drive by that yard full of pit bulls on chains," Jones said.

Jones brought Sheba to the press conference as an example of fighting cruelty.

Jones said police found Sheba covered in blood and tied to a fence without food or water. For now the dog is evidence. Her future will depend on how she fares in an evaluation that will determine whether she is adoptable and whether anyone is willing to take her. On the Net