Warning - Some of the following topics may contain photos of animal cruelty that you may find upsetting and distressing.
If you wish to report an act of cruelty or neglect or if you are concerned for the welfare of an animal, please contact us at 089 4311963. Whilst we will endeavour to respond to all complaints as quickly as possible please remember that the Meath SPCA is a non-government, community-based charity and is limited in its resources.
Fortunately, if people witness or hear about animal cruelty and neglect and report it to Meath SPCA or Gardaí action can be taken. In fact, one of the most powerful ways the public can assist Meath SPCA Inspectors and Gardaí with their lifesaving work is to understand how to recognise animal cruelty and to report it, don't leave it up to someone else to report it.
Why do People Abuse Animals?
While the exact reasons for intentional animal cruelty may vary, nine types have been identified:-
- to control an animal
- to retaliate against an animal
- to retaliate against another person
- to satisfy a prejudice against a species or breed
- to express anger through an animal
- to enhance one's own aggressiveness
- to shock people for amusement
- to displace hostility from a person to an animal
- to perform non-specific sadism
It is not uncommon for the animal abuser to admit to authorities that they killed an animal to get back at a person they were angry at, or to "punish" the animal for bad behavior. Perpetrators of animal cruelty often portray themselves as kindly animal lovers, making it difficult for people to believe them capable of abuse. From the "friendly" neighbour who mistreats his pets behind closed doors, to the "respected" community member who operates a puppy mill or hoards animals - there is no one identifying feature that marks a person as capable of committing such unfathomable crimes.
Abuse of any animal is upsetting, not only for the pain and suffering inflicted on the animal, but for the fact that animal abuse is often a precursor to human-directed violence and an indicator of family crisis. Untreated, any type of abuse can escalate.
General Neglect
Most reported cases of animal cruelty involve failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter or veterinary care to one or a few animals. Usually these are handled by local animal care and control or humane groups like the Meath SPCA in an effort to educate the offender to provide proper care. If education proves ineffective, further action may be taken. Owners may be an animal owner or indeed an animal lover but may not understand or know their animals needs. Every animal owner should learn about the responsibilities of owning an animal and what their animals needs are.
Cat Overpopulation
Cats are allowed to roam free more so than any other type of pet in Ireland and there is a serious overpopulation problem in most shelters across the country for the last few decades. Many people are not interested in adopting an older cat from a shelter, further contributing to the over-population problem. Even though adult cats have a lot to offer prospective owners, many are passed over in favour of kittens.
The cat overpopulation problem in Ireland is mainly due to irresponsible pet owners letting their cats roam free without identification and/or without being spayed or neutered. It is surprising to learn just how many cats in Ireland are not properly identified either through tags or microchipping. As well, there is no cat license so returning cats that are lost is next to impossible if an owner doesn’t proactively contact shelters in their area to look for their pet.
Un-spayed and un-neutered cats that roam contribute to the overpopulation problem by giving birth to unwanted litters year after year. Owners of male cats that roam may never know that their cat has fathered a litter. Many people think that spaying and neutering is unnecessary or too costly.
Spaying/neutering is the responsibility of all pet owners, but for some owners, the cost of spaying or neutering can be a deterrent to getting it done. However, there may be a low-cost spay/neuter program available in your area. By doing some research, contacting the Meath SPCA or your local welfare organisation you may be able to find a program that matches your finances.
Gross, Wilful, Cruel or Malicious Neglect
There is a distinction between simply failing to take adequate care of animals and intentionally or knowingly neglecting care of the animal. Examples of neglect are starvation, dehydration, parasite infestations, allowing a collar to grow into an animal's skin, inadequate shelter in extreme weather conditions, and failure to seek veterinary care when an animal needs medical attention. Severe animal neglect can cause incredible pain and suffering to an animal.
Some examples of severe animal neglect are:
Physical Signs:-
- Untreated skin conditions that have caused loss of hair, scaly skin, rashes and secondary infections
- Extreme thinness or emaciation—bones may be visible
- Fur infested with fleas, ticks or other parasites
- An owner kicking, hitting or otherwise physically abusing an animal
- Collar so tight that it has caused a neck wound or has become embedded in the pet’s neck
- Open wounds, signs of multiple healed wounds or an ongoing injury or illness that isn’t being treated
- Abandonment
- Signs of inadequate grooming, such as extreme matting of fur, overgrown nails and dirty coat
- Animals who have been hit by cars and have not received veterinary attention.
- Chronic diarrhea or vomiting.
- Swellings, such as tumors or abscesses, left untreated.
- Illegal trapping of wild animals or animals left for extended periods in traps.
If you wish to report an act of cruelty or neglect or if you are concerned for the welfare of an animal, please contact us at 089 4311963 or the Gardai. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you have seen.
Animal Abandonment
Abandoning an animal is never acceptable under any circumstances, yet many people do just that by dumping their animals that they no longer want, or perhaps can no longer afford. With the recent economic troubles, many people are choosing to leave their animals to fend for themselves rather than do the responsible thing and find them a new home or surrender them to a local animal welfare organisation.
Most companion animals are unable to fend for themselves and are likely to become sick, dehydrated or injured very quickly, not to mention that they may not be found by someone in time that can turn them over to animal services. Meath SPCA deals with many cases each year where animals have been abandonded and have suffered as a result. If you are thinking about surrendering your animal, check with your local pound or animal welfare organisation to review their policies on surrendered animals.
Puppy Farms
Currently Ireland is known as the Puppy Farm capital of Europe. The long awaited Dog Breeding Establishment Bill 2012 is now in place to regulate the commerical breeding of dogs. Puppy Farms are where dogs are "farmed" to breed as many puppies as possible for as much profit as possible. In some puppy farms breeders have the dogs and puppies living in horrific conditions and are solely out for making a profit and are unlike responsible dog breeders who care for and look after their dogs.
It is a known fact that conditions in some of the establishments are absolutely horrendous. These dogs are kept 24 hours a day in cramped filthy conditions, small pet crates, boxes, or wire cages even old cars & vans, not big enough for one, and have two, three or even four dogs crammed into them. Some puppies are born with hereditary defects and indiscriminately sold to dealers and through the internet. Some die at an early age from a hereditary illness or disease, leaving their owners’ distressed. Yet their mother will continue to be bred twice a year; for this is a money-making, consumer orientated, high profit - low outlay business.
For many there is no veterinary treatment for these dogs’, to keep costs down the ‘puppy farmers’ will treat his ‘stock’ himself. Older breeding stock tend to be ignored. Other ailments such as eye conditions, hernias, long nails growing into pads, superficial injuries tend to go untreated. Once a breeding bitch has been bred until her body is unable to take any more, she will be ‘disposed’ of, her place being taken by one of her off-spring, maintaining the minimal cost of new ‘stock’. There is also a large dealer network operating between the breeders in Ireland and the rest of Europe, these middle men organise the transport of the puppies to Europe, mainly England and France. These dealers will also sell off the puppies to further countries like Japan, China, etc.
Animals are often in-bred which can cause defects to the puppies and these physical and mental defects are usually not noticed until after the puppy has been brought home by the new owner. Many puppies will die from these defects or have to get a lot of veterinary care amounting to large bills for the new owners. Some defects cause behavioural issues and these special-need dogs reqiure extra care from their new owners. These type of issues can cause great distress to the new owners and their families.
Intentional Cruelty
Cases of intentional cruelty are the ones of greatest concern to the general public and the ones more likely to involve juvenile offenders. There is legitimate fear that the individuals involved in violent acts against animals present a danger to the public that must be addressed. Intentional animal abuse is often seen in association with other serious crimes including drug offences, gang activity, weapons violations, sexual assault and domestic violence and can be one of the most visible parts of an entire history of aggressive or antisocial behaviour. Effects of the crime on the victim may be easier to document and the intentionality of the offence is more clearly recognized than a neglect case.
Intentional Abuse, Torture
Cases of intentional cruelty are the ones of greatest concern to the general public. Intentional animal abuse is often seen in association with other serious crimes including drug offences, gang activity, weapons violations, sexual assault and domestic violence and can be one of the most visible parts of an entire history of aggressive or antisocial behaviour. There is legitimate fear that the individuals involved in violent acts against animals present a danger to the public that must be addressed. Effects of the crime on the victim may be easier to document and the intentionality of the offence is more clearly recognized than a neglect
case.
Motives for Cruelty to Animals:
- Curiosity and exploration
- Ignorance of animal needs, abilities or signals
- Boredom
- As a method for mood alteration
- Power and Control
- To demonstrate power and control over others
- As a tool for emotional abuse
- To secure silence or compliance
- Revenge, retaliation or blackmail
- Reactive
- Imitation of others
- Identification with aggressor
- As means of avoiding/denying attachment
- Post-traumatic play
- To induce self-injury
- Rehearsal of suicide
- Social
- Peer reinforcement
- Forced participation
- Gang or cult activity
- To establish autonomy/reject societal norms
- To shock and offend
Juvenile Abuse
Child who is developmentally immature and lacks cognitive and/or social skills and can be for social motives, see above. Education to respect animals from early childhood is the best way to prevent this type of abuse. However, abuse should never be ignored.
Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse
A growing body of evidence suggests that animal abuse can be an early indicator for other forms of violent behaviour. Irish research of a sample of 23 women using refuge services in the Republic of Ireland investigated the connection between domestic violence and animal abuse, and ascertained there is sufficient support service for animals and people relevant to domestic abuse.
In the survey population, 57% of women reported witnessing one or more forms of abuse, or threats of abuse, of their pets. Five of which were reported to have resulted in the death of the pet. Eighty seven per cent of women felt a facility to accommodate pets would have made their decision to leave the family home easier. Four women disclosed that lack of such a service and concern for the welfare of their companion animals caused them to remain in their abusive relationships for longer than they felt appropriate. Nine families placed pets in the care of family or friends, one woman is unaware of the fate of her pet, while the pets of six families remained with the abusive male after his partner entered a refuge.
The majority of women felt unable to talk to anyone about their fears for their pets’ welfare. Many felt that there is no service which can provide temporary accommodation for womens’ pets while they are in refuge. The results obtained support those found elsewhere in larger studies in the USA and UK, and demonstrate an association of animal abuse in households where there is reported domestic violence. In many Irish households pets are part of the family. Abusive individuals will threaten, injure or kill pets to control, humiliate, punish or silence their partners, parents or children.
Domestic violence is any form of violence, upon any member of the household. Abuse can take many forms including insults, threats, controlling behavior and physical harm. Domestic Abuse crosses gender, age, class, race and religious belief. Remember, there is no ’type’ of woman, man or child to whom it occurs, and there is no ‘type’ of home in which it happens.
Animal Abuse by Abused Children
While animal abuse is an important sign of child abuse, the parent isn't always the one harming the animal. Children who abuse animals may be repeating a lesson learned at home; like their parents, they are reacting to anger or frustration with violence. Their violence is directed at the only individual in the family more vulnerable than themselves: an animal. One expert says, "Children in violent homes are characterized by frequently participating in pecking-order battering," in which they may maim or kill an animal. Indeed, domestic violence is the most common background for childhood cruelty to animals.
Psychological disorders
One of the known warning signs of certain psychopathologies, including anti-social personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality disorder, is a history of torturing pets and small animals, a behavior known as zoosadism.
According to the New York Times, the FBI has found that a history of cruelty to animals is one of the traits that regularly appears in its computer records of serial rapists and murderers, and the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for psychiatric and emotional disorders lists cruelty to animals a diagnostic criterion for conduct disorders. "A survey of psychiatric patients who had repeatedly tortured dogs and cats found all of them had high levels of aggression toward people as well, including one patient who had murdered a young boy. Robert K. Ressler, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's behavioral sciences unit, studied serial killers and noted,"Murderers like this very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids.
John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans (Ireland's first serial killers), Thomas Watt Hamilton who committed the Dunblane Primary School massacre in Scotland, Ian Brady (Moors Murderer), Dennis Nilsen, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Andrew Cunanan, David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz, and Albert "Boston Strangler" DeSalvo were cruel to animals before they started hurting people. Adults are not the only ones whose cruelty to animals can be a sign of deeper troubles. Many murderous children and teenagers-such as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine High School-also have histories of animal cruelty.
Cruelty to animals is one of the three components of the Macdonald triad (enuresis, fire-setting & animal abuse), indicators of violent antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. According to the studies used to form this model, cruelty to animals is a common (but not with every case) behavior in children and adolescents who grow up to become serial killers and other violent criminals. All of the people in this group suffer from serious, psychological problems that will probably not go away on their own. They often need the help of licensed professionals—like a psychologist.
Below are just a small selection of Intentional Cruelty cases that the Meath SPCA has dealt with.
Malicious Poisoning
Malicious poisoning, or poisoning an animal on purpose, is usually done by lacing an object that an animal would usually want to eat or play with a toxic substance. In some cases, animals have been poisoned by a neighbour or an individual who lives near an area that dogs frequent such as a park, because they are annoyed by the animals.
Here are some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on how to prevent malicious poisoning:
1. Be a good neighbour! Please don’t allow your pets to have access to your neighbours’ gardens and bins. If your dog is an incessant barker and/or howls and whines while you are away, you may want to work with an animal behaviourist or dog trainer to solve the problem. Should your neighbours have concerns, try to address them in a positive, constructive manner to avoid serious conflicts.
2. Is your pet allowed outdoors in your fenced-in or otherwise secure area? It’s smart to do routine checks of this enclosed area.
3. Be sure to remove unfamiliar or questionable items from the enclosure.
4. Supervise your pets when they are outdoors whenever possible. Do not allow your pets to spend significant amounts of time unsupervised outdoors.
5. Develop relationships with neighbours who have pets. You can join forces to create a neighbourhood watch for the companion animals in the area. Be alert for anything out of the ordinary!
6. Provide a safe, confined area with a secure gate when pets are left alone outdoors.
7. Keep a watchful eye on your pets if you let them roam free. Animals that are allowed to roam simply have more opportunities to get into potentially poisonous substances. Remember if you pet eats a dead animal like a mouse or rat that died from poison they can become sick as well. We advise that you don't let your pets roam where you can't see them.
8. Teach your pet not to accept food or treats from strangers, this is a hard one we know but it is important.
9. Report any suspicious behaviour to local authorities. Remember, animal cruelty is a crime!
Animal Hoarding
Animal care and control and law enforcement agencies are reporting a growing number of cases that involve large numbers of animals (often several hundred) kept under extremely poor conditions, often resulting in the death of many animals from disease and starvation. The hoarder is sometimes seen as sympathetic and caring, rather than as someone who has caused substantial suffering to a large number of animals. As with other forms of animal cruelty, humane societies are recognizing that animal hoarding is not a harmless eccentricity, but a potentially serious problem that takes a toll on animals, people and the community as a whole.
In a 1999 study Dr. Patronek, Professor at Tufts University defined animal hoarders: People who accumulate a large number of animals; fail to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care; and fail to act on the deteriorating condition of the animals, the environment, and their own health. Hoarders justify their behavior with the view that the animals are surrogate children and that no one else can care for them. They harbor a fear that if they seek help the animals will be euthanized.
More recently, in a publication from the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk, Patronek and his cohorts list four key characteristics:
- Failure to provide minimal standards of sanitation, space, nutrition, and veterinary care for the animals
- Inability to recognize the effects of this failure on the welfare of the animals, human members of the household, and the environment
- Obsessive attempts to accumulate or maintain a collection of animals in the face of progressively deteriorating conditions
- Denial or minimization of problems and living conditions for people and animals
“Although the case of a dog being violently killed is shocking, in animal hoarding cases the suffering can be felt by hundreds of animals for months and months on end,” said Randall Lockwood, Ph.D.Thousands of animals suffer and some die in squalid surroundings, devoid of adequate food and water, yet, the owners insist nothing is wrong. Standing in three inches of feces, breathing acrid ammonia in the air, and in plain view of dead and dying dogs, one woman said, “I never hurt any dogs, I love my babies. The fact is I protect them.”
Conditions often become extreme before law enforcement officials can glean enough evidence for a search warrant. “The biggest problem is we are never allowed access to the house until it becomes so severe that something tragic happens,” has been quoted by Law Enforcement. Animal Rescue charities or dog pounds are left to cover the cost of rescuing, treating, housing, feeding, and in some cases euthanizing the animals.Close friends and families, generally the first to know when the act of ‘loving animals’ changes to ‘hoarding animals,’ seldom have the information and understanding needed to effectively intervene. Learning about animal hoarding, understanding its characteristics, how it develops, interventions, and preventions can help both the people involved and the animals.Early intervention is the key to preventing the suffering caused by animal hoarding; yet, those who see the neglect in its early stages (friends, relatives, neighbors) often misunderstand it and fail to report it until conditions become tragic. Obsessive hoarding consumes all available resources of time, money, and emotion; and eventually squeezing family and friends out of the picture. Taking action early on, while the door is still open. Intervention can come in many forms but must be thoughtful and respectful. Social isolation sets in as acquaintances eventually become exasperated and give up their failed attempts to help. People who hoard animals may use them to fulfill emotional needs that had been previously met by human interaction, according to recent studies.
How Animal Hoarding Develops
The truth is no one knows. Animal hoarding research is in its infancy and although new information is produced on a regular basis there is so much yet to be learned. Factors that can contribute to animal hoarding fall into three categories: personal, household and community. Personal factors involve the individual and his or her mental and emotional state. Although there exists no official diagnosis for animal hoarding in the DSM-IV-TR (diagnostic manual used by psychologists), researchers have identified diagnostic models to help understand the phenomenon, although not all animal hoarders fit neatly in one model or the other.
The models commonly sited are:
1. The Addictions Model
Elements of the addiction model which are found in animal hoarding cases include: preoccupation with the addiction; denial about the addiction and its effects; isolation; claims of persecution; excuses for the behavior; and self-neglect.
2. The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Model
This model may be used because hoarding of inanimate objects is a primary symptom for many who suffer with OCD, and many animal hoarders are found to have hoarded inanimate objects as well, according to a 2002 study published in Health and Social Work. In a similar study (Lockwood, 1994) researchers state that people with this syndrome appear to experience an overwhelming sense of responsibility for preventing harm to animals, and they engage in unrealistic steps to fulfill this responsibility.
3. Focal Delusional Disorder Model
Focal delusional disorder involves a belief system which is out of touch with reality. It could be present in some animal hoarders when there are claims that the animals are well cared for in the face of compelling evidence to the contrary, and may accompany paranoia about officials who are actually trying to help both the hoarder and the animals.
4. Attachment Disorder Model
This model is sometimes used to explain why some animal hoarders prefer relationships with animals rather than other human beings. They see the animals as safer and less threatening than people. Some animal hoarders who grew up in chaotic households may have seen the animals in their lives as the only stable feature. Household factors that may contribute to animal hoarding involve dependent family members, children and the elderly or infirm who are dependent on the animal hoarder and thus reluctant to report the problem or seek help. Landlords who are aware of the growing animal population may evict the hoarder to protect their property but fail to notify local animal protection societies or local police. In this instance, the hoarder moves the menagerie to a new location and continues the hoarding. In some case landlords have impassively given up on their property and thus allowed the hoarding to continue unabated. Community factors that contribute to animal hoarding range from the inaction of people in the community to the enacting of vague legislation. Friends, neighbors and relatives are often the first people to see the signs of animal hoarding before it becomes tragic, however they also may have little information about animal hoarding and thus not fully recognize what they are facing or know what to do about it. Service providers and tradesmen find themselves in the same position when they enter the house of an animal hoarder but fail to contact local animal protection societies or police when they see animals living in crammed quarters with feces encrusted floors and no visible signs of food or water. This is why increasing public awareness is so critical in addressing the problem of animal hoarding.
There is currently no specific legislation to deal with the issues of hoarding in Ireland. The DSPCA in its submission to government for the upcoming Animal Health & Welfare Act has requested provision for the investigation and assessments to deal with animal hoarding. Communities contribute to animal hoarding when people want to get rid of their pets but feel guilty about taking them to a shelter where they may be euthanized. Instead, without much investigation, they drop their unwanted pets off with the neighborhood ‘cat lady’ who will refuse no animal in need. Many people will not take the time to find out if she can actually handle another animal and unknowingly contribute the problem.
In a recent release, Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk, by a team from the Hoarding of Animals research Consortium (HARC), Gary Patronek, Lynn Loar, and Jane Nathanson, three types of animal hoarder are discussed.
They include:
1. The Overwhelmed Caregiver
These hoarders initially provide adequate care for their animals which they have a strong attachment to; understand that a problem has gradually developed though they may minimize it; may be socially isolated; believe it is caused by some change in their circumstances; have fewer issues with authority figures and accepting intervention.
2. The Rescuer Hoarder
These hoarders develop a compulsion based on a strong need to rescue animals from possible death or euthanasia; actively acquired animals and believes they are the only ones who can adequately care for them, find it hard to refuse any new animals, may work within a network of animal welfare people; avoids authorities.
3. Exploiters Hoarders
These hoarders acquire animals to serve their own needs and are indifferent to the harm caused to them; deny the problem and reject authority figures or outside help; believe they know best and have an extreme need to control; may come across as charming, articulate, manipulative and cunning; skilled at presenting excuses and explanations for their circumstances; self-concerned and expressing no remorse or guilt; acquires animals actively; plans to evade the law, will lie cheat and steal without remorse in order to achieve their goals.
Some hoarders will not fit neatly into one category or another but instead exhibit characteristics of several categories. Others may be incipient hoarders who exhibit some ability to care for their animals, are aware that a problem is developing but show deteriorating circumstances. While others still, the breeder-hoarder, will initial breed animals for sale become overwhelmed with the volume and care needed and may not fully recognize how the conditions have deteriorated and how it affects the animals.
Treatment and Prevention
Recidivism, the repetition of an offence, in animal hoarding is thought to be nearly 100% without intervention. Effective treatment of animal hoarding to change the behavior is one element needed to prevent recidivism. Unfortunately no diagnosis has yet been established in the diagnostic manual used by psychologists (DSM-IV-TR) and thus there is no established psychotherapeutic treatment. Even with the diagnostic void, some treatments have been used to address various disorders that have been found to co-exist with animal hoarding and thus it is recommended that psychological assessment and treatment be ordered in animal hoarding cases.
While research continues on diagnosis and treatment, it is increasingly important to ensure that other safeguards are in place. Prevention of animal hoarding through public education seems to be at the foundation as are laws which give humane officers the ability to intervene on behalf of the animals when appropriate.
Education
Public awareness about animal hoarding and animal hoarding education can help authorities intervene before a case becomes extreme. In the book, Inside Animal hoarding: The story of Barbara Erickson and her 552 dogs, the reader can identify multiple times when intervention may have been possible if only those who were present at the time had understood what they were looking at and how they could have helped. Unfortunately, friends, neighbours and other members of the community did not have the appropriate information to assess the situation and act on their own instincts that something was awry. This book is a good resource for the general public as well as those in the animal welfare field to begin or expand their understandings of animal hoarding.
The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium is a good resource for in-depth learning about this phenomenon. Their information can be found on the Tufts University website. An in-depth resource for those who intervene in animal hoarding cases can be found at the HARC website and is called, Animal Hoarding: Structuring interdisciplinary responses to help people, animals and communities at risk.
Organised Abuse
Illegal animal fighting is a blood-sport in which animals are specifically bred and trained to fight each other within an enclosed pit or ring, for the benefit of individuals who place bets on the animal they believe will win. The fights are extremely brutal, with animals often fighting to the death. In addition to the extremely violent nature of the animal cruelty involved, illegal animal fighting events almost always include other criminal activity, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution and illegal firearms. (Large amounts of money exchange hands during these gambling events, and where there is money, there are guns and other weapons present.)
These crimes continue to flourish, often in connection with other offences. The lucrative and underground nature of these offences, and the logistical problems of dealing with many defendants and many animals that may be seized as evidence, can present unique challenges to police and prosecutors. Fighting or baiting an animal is illegal in Ireland.
Numerous law enforcement raids have unearthed many disturbing facets of this illegal "sport." Illegal gambling is the normal at animal fights. The animal owners and spectators wager thousands of dollars on their favorites. Firearms and other weapons have been found at fights because of the large amounts of cash present. And animal fighting has been connected to other kinds of violence—even homicide, according to newspaper reports. In addition, illegal drugs are often sold and used at these fights. Drug enforcement agents often learn about animal fighting operations as a result of narcotics investigations.
Additionally, it is quite common for children to be used during these events, often as runners for the betting process. This brings up the obvious issue of exposing children to illegal activities, and it also contributes to their de-sensitivity to violence as they are exposed to these brutal and bloody scenes of animals ripping each other to pieces for money. Quite often, during a dog or cockfighting bust, these young runners are overlooked during the questioning process - which is part of what makes them desirable to use from an illegal animal fighter's standpoint.
Dog Fighting
1. What is dogfighting?
Dogfighting is a sadistic "contest" in which two dogs—specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight—are placed in a pit (generally a small arena enclosed by plywood walls or metal fencing) to fight each other for the spectators' entertainment and gambling. Fights average nearly an hour in length and often last more than two hours. Dogfights end when one of the dogs will not or cannot continue. Dog fights are usually highly organised, including Weight categories and a referee.
2. How does it cause animal suffering?
The injuries inflicted and sustained by dogs participating in dogfights are frequently severe, usually fatal. Dogs are usually trained for fighting by cruel and violent conditioning by their owners and are made vicious by their owners. Pit bull terriers used in the majority of these fights have been specifically bred and trained for fighting and are unrelenting in their attempts to overcome their opponents. With their extremely powerful jaws, they are able to inflict severe bruising, deep puncture wounds and broken bones.
Dogs used in these events often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection hours or even days after the fight. Other animals are often sacrificed as well. Some owners train their dogs for fights using smaller animals such as cats, rabbits, chickens or small dogs. These "bait" animals are often stolen pets or animals obtained through "free to good home" advertisements.
3. What other effects does the presence of dogfighting have on people and animals in a community?
Dogs used for fighting have been bred for many generations to be dangerously aggressive toward other animals. The presence of these dogs in a community increases the risk of attacks not only on other animals but also on people. Children are especially at risk, because their small size may cause a fighting dog to perceive a child as another animal.
Cockfighting
1. What is cockfighting?
Cockfighting is a centuries-old blood sport in which two or more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, are placed in an enclosure to fight, for the primary purposes of gambling and entertainment. A cockfight usually results in the death of one of the birds; sometimes it ends in the death of both. A typical cockfight can last anywhere from several minutes to more than half an hour.
2. How does it cause birds suffering?
The birds, even those who do not die, suffer in cockfights. The birds cannot escape from the fight, regardless of how exhausted or injured they become. Common injuries include punctured lungs, broken bones, and pierced eyes. Such severe injuries occur because the birds' legs are usually fitted with razor-sharp steel blades or with gaffs, which resemble three-inch-long, curved ice picks. These artificial spurs are designed to puncture and mutilate.
3. Aren't these birds natural fighters?
While it is true that birds will fight over food, territory, or mates, such fights are generally only to establish dominance within a group (the pecking order) and seldom result in serious injury. This natural behavior is quite different from what happens in staged cockfights, where pairs of birds, bred for maximum aggressiveness (and sometimes given steroids or other drugs to make them more successful fighters) are forced to fight until a winner is declared.
Other Types of Animal Fighting
1. Badger Baiting (Badger Digging):
When a dog or dogs is pitted against a badger - illegal but not uncommon. The badger, which may first be partially disabled by being beaten over the head with a spade, or by having its jaw broken or its legs chained, is placed in a baiting pit or some other makeshift arena. It is then set upon by a succession of dogs, which are goaded on by their owners. The dogs used are often the terriers that are used when the badger is dug from its sett. In badger-digging, the badgers as well as the dogs usually sustain considerable injury and sometimes die.
2. Trunking:
When two dogs (usually pit bulls) are thrown into the boot of a car to fight. The trunk door is closed, and the last dog standing is the "winner".
Animal Fighting and the Law
These crimes continue to flourish, often in connection with other offences. The secretive, lucrative and underground nature of these offences, and the logistical problems of dealing with many defendants and many animals that may be seized as evidence, can present unique challenges to police and prosecutors. Animal Fighting is illegal in Ireland and the Animal Health & Welfare Bill 2012 will help to stamp out animal fighting. Because animal fighting is illegal many owners do not bring their animals to a vet and owners very often do their own "DIY" medical care on the injured animal, these are crude procedures and often done without pain relief eg normal staples are used for binding wounds. If the animal is too badly wounded or not healing the owner will kill them usually by clubbing their heads or electrocution. These methods cause a lot of suffering to the animal.
What can I do to help stop Animal Fighting?
We are asking for your help in lobbying Government to ensure that the area of Animal Welfare Legislation is addressed as quickly as possible. If you suspect that animal fighting is going on in your own neighborhood or find out details of an animal fight, alert your local Gardai or Animal Welfare association like the Meath SPCA.
Animal Cruelty on the Internet
The Internet is one of our most powerful tools in combating animal cruelty, educating the public and exchanging ideas with other animal advocates. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing popularity of the Internet also makes it very easy for criminals and those that find humour in animal cruelty to spread their message.
Due to advances in technology nearly everyone has access to the internet or worldwide web via computers, phones, etc. Because of this there are a number of websites now where animal cruelty is shown, both animal physical and sexual abuse. If you encounter online cruelty, check to see if more information is available. Search the Urban Legends Reference Pages and search engines like Bing or Google to see whether or not the site may have already been determined to be a hoax as we have also seen an increase in the number of cruel hoax sites, which while they may be distasteful and offensive to you, are not actually committing any crimes. An example of these types of sites would be the Bonsai Kitten website and the Save Toby website.
- Do not contact the website. The author isn't interested in how you feel about him and what he is doing, and he will likely get a rise out of the attention. If the site owner is responsible for the offensive content itself, contacting them will only give them additional attention and will usually relish the fact that they have managed to get so many people in an uproar. Just as is the case with abused and neglected children, these site owners welcome exposure and attention, even if that attention is negative.
- Do not send emails to all of your friends and associates telling them about the site. Doing so would be promoting the site and, thusly, giving them what they want -- attention. It is what they crave and you would only be fueling their fire. Don't give them any satisfaction.
If you can download the video or pictures so they can be given to authorities as they may be taken off the website before authorities can get to them.
Contact the authorities to report the web content.
To find out who hosts a website, go to SamSpade.Org "Domain name servers" and domain name contacts. The technical and administrative contacts will usually be the site owner. If you click on the name of the Domain name servers, it will display the contact information for the hosting company. This is the contact information you want., type in the url of the website and click on the button marked "Whois". The results should list the IP address.
In June 2005, a legitimate case of animal cruelty was discovered thanks to responsible site owners who contacted authorities after a video of teens dousing opossums with lighter fluid and setting them on fire was submitted to their site.
Crush Files
Animal snuff films, known as crush films can be found on the Internet. These films depict instances of animal cruelty, and/or pornographic acts with animals, usually involving the crushing death of an animal, including insects, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, monkeys, birds, cats, and dogs.
To report child pornography, pornography featuring animals or animal cruelty websites contact http://www.hotline.ie