A movie and snacks help show the ugly world of dog fighting, and teach students about how they can be involved in the legislative process
By Jon Dunn, Best Friends Animal SocietyA large table greeted students in the film room of the Student Learning Center at the University of Georgia. Leaflets covered the table with information about giving up meat, legislative work for animals, but the main topic this night was dog fighting.
Last Monday, a group of students at the University of Georgia set out to educate their fellow Georgia Bulldogs. The film “Off the Chain” was shown to the more than 50 students who attended to learn more about the evils of dog fighting and to learn how they can help.
The movie is incredibly hard to watch, with graphic scenes of dog fighting and the aftermath of those fights. At several moments during the film, the students in attendance winced as dogs tore each other to pieces. They laughed incredulously when a masked man spoke of how much he “loved his dogs.” But the lessons learned are valuable ones, that the evil world of dog fighting is one that needs to be stopped.
Best Friends Animal Society Legislative Coordinator, Pat White took the opportunity to speak to the students after the film. “There are two things in the world that sometimes you don’t want to see made: laws and sausage. But know one thing; lawmakers will listen as soon as they know you are a voter in their district.”
The students responded well to the film and the talk afterwards. Many wondered how they could
help the efforts of the dog fighting bill currently making its way through the Legislature.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
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Photos Courtesy of Pruddle, and Josh Hallett, via Wiki Commons