New Hampshire Sheriffs’ Association urges congressional delegation to back the FIGHT Act and Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act
CONCORD, N.H. — The recent sentencing of a New Hampshire woman convicted for her role in a multistate cockfighting venture reminds federal lawmakers about the prevalence of animal fighting and the need for continuing attention to the problem. New Hampshire’s law enforcement community is rallying to urge Congress to pass the FIGHT Act and the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act to enhance enforcement efforts against dogfighting and cockfighting.
Jennifer Scott of Chester, N.H., who pleaded guilty to participating in a multistate cockfighting operation, was sentenced earlier this month to probation and fined following a federal investigation that uncovered extensive animal cruelty and interstate criminal activity involving fighting birds.
The conviction comes as the New Hampshire Sheriffs’ Association (NHSA), representing the elected sheriffs of all 10 counties in the Granite State, reaffirmed its support for the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act and recently endorsed the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, two bipartisan bills in Congress to address animal fighting.
With these endorsements, New Hampshire’s sheriffs join more than 1,000 organizations, including over 450 law enforcement agencies nationwide, that have called on Congress to strengthen federal tools to dismantle organized animal fighting networks.
The NHSA has emphasized that illegal animal fighting remains a significant threat not only to animal welfare but also to public safety, as it is frequently linked to illegal gambling, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, and other serious crimes. Cockfighting and dogfighting rings often operate across state lines, transport animals illegally, and expose communities to crime.
“Animal fighting is not a victimless offense — it is a violent, organized criminal enterprise that leaves animals tortured and puts communities at risk,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “This sentencing in New Hampshire shows that prosecutors and law enforcement are committed to accountability. By passing the FIGHT Act and the ACE Act, federal lawmakers can send a zero-tolerance signal to all animal fighters to cease their malicious enterprise.”
Federal prosecutors in the Scott case described a sophisticated operation involving multiple locations and the exploitation of hundreds of birds, illustrating how organized cockfighting ventures function as interstate criminal networks.
The FIGHT Act would stop money laundering done through online gambling on animal fights, stop the smuggling of fighting birds through the U.S. Postal Service, allow courts to impose stricter penalties on those convicted of animal fighting crimes, and empower private citizens to seek civil injunctive relief when local authorities are too slow to act. The ACE Act would establish dedicated federal prosecutorial resources to ensure that animal cruelty cases receive appropriate attention.
“Sheriffs and local officers see firsthand how animal fighting fuels broader criminal activity,” Pacelle said. “These bills give law enforcement the tools they need to investigate, disrupt and dismantle these networks before more animals and communities are harmed.”
Animal Wellness Action and partner organizations continue to urge Congress to advance the FIGHT Act and ACE Act and close enforcement gaps that allow organized animal fighting operations to persist.
The FIGHT Act, S. 1454, is led in the Senate by U.S. Sens. John Kennedy, R-La., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., and in the House, H.R. 3946, by U.S. Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Andrea Salinas, D-Ore. U.S. Reps. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., and Chris Pappas, D-N.H., are cosponsors of the FIGHT Act, but neither of New Hampshire’s two U.S. senators have cosponsored the companion legislation. Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy join the New Hampshire Sheriffs’ Association in thanking New Hampshire’s two U.S. House members for their support and encouraging the Granite State’s two U.S. senators to sign onto the legislation.
The NHSA endorsement letter on the FIGHT Act can be found here.
Animal Wellness Action also offers rewards to individuals who report information on animal fighting that leads to a conviction. Tips can be sent to tips@animalwellnessaction.org.