News
Come on, Hawaii! Join the Nation's Fight Against Dog Fighting!
September 14, 2007, 3:31PM MT
By Pitbully Pulpit
There is a silver lining to the Michael Vick case after all.
There is a silver lining to the Michael Vick case after all. State legislators around the country are enacting bills that will strengthen the laws against dog fighting and stiffen the penalties for those found guilty of being in possession of fighting dogs, of organizing dog fights, and of attending the fights as a spectator.
Hawaii… it is time for us to do the same! Hawaii ranks at the bottom when it comes to laws against dog fighting. Though Hawaii has recently made it a felony to organize a dogfight, it is still one of only four states where it is still legal to attend a dogfight. In Hawaii, there is no penalty at all for watching and participating in one the most brutal acts of animal cruelty. This is unacceptable!
The media storm surrounding the federal indictment last month of NFL star Michael Vick has sharpened the focus on weaknesses in the patchwork of state dog fighting laws and highlighted difficulties in enforcing them.
While a few states have laws with some teeth, in four states – Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho and Montana – attending a dogfight is legal. In 26 others, it’s a misdemeanor.
The first three states above, along with Nevada and Wyoming, were ranked Wednesday (Sept. 12) as having the weakest state laws by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
You can read more about the states that are changing their dog fighting laws here:
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=238956
Other states are making changes to their dog fighting laws. Hawaii has no excuse not to do the same!!!
You can help to force a change in the laws!
Contact you legislator today, while the media is still focusing on this horrid and barbaric activity. Tell them to join the rest of the nation in making those who participate in this cruel and sick activity pay a very dear price!
To find your local legislator, go here:
http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/animallaws/index.html
Quotes Courtesy of Stateline.org.
Photo Courtesy of Best Friends Network.