By WILLOW KLUCK

The Mirror reporter

Should dogfighting be legalized and become a sport? I believe dogfighting should stay illegal and there are many reasons why so many people agree.

Dogfighting is an illegal ‘sport’ and is a felony in all 50 states. Even though it is a felony, many fights are still held in the country each year. There are typically three levels of dogfighting: Professional dogfighters, hobbyists, and street fighters.

Professional dogfighters generally travel the country and world, breeding and fighting dogs for profit. Hobbyists may have a handful of dogs they breed and follow the rules of a refereed dogfight, but they usually stay at a local level. Lastly, street fighters fight all breeds of dogs and normally do not keep track of a dog’s bloodlines.

Fights can also happen in a variety of locations, from back alleyways to backyards. Fights typically take place in a 14 to 20 square foot pit designed to contain the animals. Unfortunately, fights frequently end when one of the two dogs is unable to fight or dies. The injuries may become infected or the dog could be used as bait. Many of the injuries can and will result in death to the dogs after the fight.

Bait dogs are dogs who are born “cold,” which means they refuse to fight or are dogs who are too injured to fight in a pit. Bait dogs are usually tied to a rope or pinned up somewhere as the fighters let the other dog, who is being trained, maul the animal to death.

Dogs are not the only animals used for training. Sometime fighters will have the trainee go after rabbits or other small animals.

The training fight dogs go through is rigorous as well. Some of the training techniques are to starve the dog, beat them, and forced exhaustion exercise. One exercise it to have a dog hang on a rope that is strung from a tree for hours to strengthen the jaws.

Sadly spectators bring their children to fights showing them that dogfighting is an okay act. Dogfights are also a well-known place for drug dealers and firearm sales due to the high amount of money in the location. Dogfighting is a gambling sport. Gambling is illegal in many places including some states in the United States.

Most fight dogs who have been abandoned will end up on the streets among children or in shelters. These previous fighters are aggressive and will be unable to be adopted. They will almost always be euthanized or put to sleep.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  (ASPCA) estimates there are tens of thousands of dogfighters in the U.S., forcing hundreds of thousands of dogs to train, fight and suffer every year.

The ASPCA has three easy ways you can help stop dogfighting. They are, spread the word, sign the petition and donate. All the money donated to the ASPCA goes for helping the fight dogs who are found and taking care of them, fight back against dogfighting and help break the chain of violence.

Some people consider dogfighting a sport and support all the cruel acts fighters make against their dogs in preparing them in the fight. I am unsure of how people can support this ‘sport’ and how spectators can watch the brutal killing of dogs.