| Punish Leaders of Dogfighting Ring.
Target: Alan Wilson, Attorney General of South Carolina
Petition: Click Here To Sign It.Goal: Demand alleged dogfighters receive the severest penalty under law if they are found guilty.
One of the largest dogfighting rings was just raided in South Carolina. Those responsible need to be given the maximum sentence if they are found guilty of this horrible crime in order to better prevent other dogs from getting hurt and killed in the future.
Three alleged leaders of the ring were arrested. Four dogs were rescued from the operation. Unfortunately, two of them were thought to have been in other recent fights, as scars on their bodies indicated this was likely the case.
Police also reported that they found hundreds of audience members at this disgusting spectacle. Just as bad, the dogfighters were allegedly offering between $80,000 and $100,000 in prize money to the winner of this event. Thankfully, dogfighting is a felony offense in South Carolina, punishable by $5,000 or a five-year prison sentence. Even spectators can be charged with having committed a misdemeanor crime.
Sign this petition and demand that all guilty parties receive the harshest penalty under law for participating in this heartless event. Dogs deserve to be loved and taken care of, not sickly abused for the sake of profit.
Dear Attorney Wilson,
One of the biggest dogfighting operations in South Carolina history was just exposed. If the people responsible are not given the harshest punishment, they will likely hurt or kill many more animals in the future.
Four dogs were seized, and it was thought that two of the dogs had been in recent fights, as indicated by the scars covering their bodies. Authorities also suspected that between $80,000 and $100,000 was supposed to be given to the person whose dog was declared the winner of the fight.
Since a great deal of dogfighting equipment was found at the scene, it is likely these alleged dogfighters had participated many other times in similar events. It is important they are given the severest penalty under law so that other dogs do not have to go through the same brutal experience in the future.
For all of these reasons, I urge you to recommend that these dogfighters be given the maximum sentence. Leniency only sends the message to society that it is OK to treat animals in this abusive manner.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Copy: Dante Alighieri
SALDF Program GuideEach year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) provides resources to help SALDF chapters focus on a specific priority issue through the SALDF Program Guide. This year’s priority issue is Ag-Gag legislation. The SALDF Program Guide contains an overview of the issue, ALDF’s involvement, and suggested activities, such as film screening suggestions, a reading list, and suggested speakers. SALDF Chapter of the Year Award We are now accepting submissions for our third annual SALDF Chapter of the Year Award! The award celebrates a SALDF chapter that has shown amazing efforts in advancing the field of animal law and advocating for animals. Applications are due October 5, 2015. Speak Out for Farmed Animals Week is October 4-10, 2015 Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund for Speak Out for Farmed Animals Week! The week is dedicated to raising public awareness about the lack of meaningful laws that protect animals on farms and in slaughterhouses from cruel treatment. Request special tabling materials for this week here. You're Invited to the 2015 Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Summit When: Friday, October 16, 2015 from 1:30-3:30 PM Where: Animal Legal Defense Fund, Portland Office The days are getting shorter, kids are going back to school and most importantly, Congress is back in session! We’re going to have a busy fall fighting for animals and I hope you’re as ready as we are to get some work done. |
| There are dozens of animal protection bills currently pending before Congress, and I wanted to let you know some of our key priorities, which are listed below. It’s important that we continue to gain co-sponsors on these bills to show there is strong bi-partisan support for these policies. But let’s not forget those lawmakers who have already sponsored or co-sponsored these bills -- we need to thank them and make sure they know we appreciate their efforts. |
| Please take a moment to call Rep. Donald Norcross at (202) 225-6501 and Sen. Cory Booker at (202) 224-3224 and Sen. Robert Menendez at (202) 224-4744 and politely ask them to co-sponsor one of these important bills. By clicking on the bill you’re interested in, you can see if your legislator has already co-sponsored the bill, and if they have, please make sure to thank them! |
| The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293/S. 1831) will complement the federal laws on animal fighting and crush videos as well as state anti-cruelty statutes by prohibiting extreme animal abuse when involving interstate commerce or on federal property. |
| The Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) will phase out both the use of live animals in cosmetics testing and the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals following the lead of more than 30 other countries. |
| The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268/S. 1121) will end the cruel practice of soring, in which unscrupulous trainers inflict pain on horses’ feet and legs to force them into an unnatural gait for the show ring. |
| The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258/S. 1559) will amend the Violence Against Women Act to include protections for pets, and provide grants to domestic violence shelters to accommodate pets, so that abused women aren’t forced to choose between their safety and their pets. |
| The Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942/S. 1214) will protect horses and consumers by prohibiting the transport and export of U.S. horses to slaughter for human consumption. Currently American horses are rounded up from random sources, many given drugs and medications over their lifetime not intended for human consumption and transported long distances to be slaughtered for food exports. |
| The Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors (AWARE) Act (H.R. 746/S. 388) will require that animals used in federal agricultural experiments receive the same basic animal care protections already required for private research labs. |
It’s vitally important that Congress hears from
us and knows we’re paying attention, so please make that phone call today! |
