WASHINGTON, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action today praised the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and collaborating agencies for their coordinated raid on a suspected dogfighting operation that resulted in the rescue of over 40 dogs and felony charges against three individuals.
“Dogfighting is as barbaric as humans can get, and we applaud the work of law enforcement personnel in running this operation to ground,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “By dismantling this ring and rescuing dozens of terrified animals, Greenville sheriff’s deputies have not only delivered justice for the dogs but taken a major bite out of the organized crime affiliated with these staged battles between animals.”
The operation recovered 35 adult dogs and six puppies and resulted in multiple felony charges, including dogfighting, animal cruelty, and criminal conspiracy. Law enforcement officials described a well-organized fighting ring spanning several properties in Greenville County.
Dogfighting is a felony offense in South Carolina. Animal Wellness Action is also urging the strengthening of the federal law, because many of these dogfighting operations are interstate and even international criminal syndicates. Animal Wellness is urging swift passage of the bipartisan FIGHT Act (H.R. 2742 / S. 1529), which would strengthen federal animal fighting laws, enhance investigative tools for law enforcement, and help dismantle interstate and online animal fighting networks.
U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, (R-1st), is the only member of the South Carolina congressional delegation to cosponsor the FIGHT Act, H.R. 3946 and S. 1454. The National Sheriffs’ Association, the National District Attorneys’ Association, and 23 state sheriffs’ associations including those in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee are working to pass the FIGHT Act. There are 900 endorsing agencies backing the FIGHT Act in the domains of law enforcement, agriculture, animal welfare, gaming, and conservation.
“We are grateful that Congresswoman Nancy Mace is helping to lead the fight to crack down on illegal dogfighting and cockfighting,” Pacelle added. “Rep. Mace knows that dogfighting and cockfighting not only involve malicious cruelty to animals, but the practices are entangled with illegal gambling, money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and human-on-human violence.”
To find more about the FIGHT Act: Animal Fighting is the Pits