Tennessee is taking on animal fighting in a big way this legislative session.  There are bills pending that will:

 - allow forfeiture of all property used in animal fighting (S.B. 2685),  

 - make it a felony to allow a minor to attend an animal fight (TN H.B. 3697 & TN S.B. 3864); and

 - make cockfighting a felony and increase penalties for being a spectator at a fighting event or where preparations for a fight are underway. TN S.B. 1734 & H.B. 2143, S.B. 1733 & H.B. 2142.

The House versions of these bills are in the Judiciary Committee. Click here to find and contact committee members and urge them to pass these bills to help stop dog fighting in Tennessee. Click here to find Tennessee House members and here to find Tennessee senators. Write or call each one and ask them to help pass these bills.

Click here for a copy of Tennessee's current animal fighting law.

Just last October, two men, Arthur Bland and Walter Ward, were arrested at their Memphis home where authorities seized 46 dogs, 21 adults and 25 puppies, believed to be part of a dog fighting operation. Many of the dogs were covered with scars. They were also starving. Many had not been vaccinated.  As with most dog fighting operations, authorities also found illegal drugs, weapons and dog fighting equipment including a treadmill, used to exercise dogs to exhaustion in preparation for fights.  The animals were kept in cages or kennels in the yard.

The men were arrested on illegal drug, animal fighting and cruelty charges.

In a strange twist in the case many of the dogs were later stolen from the Memphis Animal Shelter during a weekend.

In another recent Tennessee case, police in Nashville seized  10 pit bull type dogs including a puppy from a home.   

The dogs were found chained to tree stumps, trash cans, and  posts. The dogs had old and new wounds and scars.

It is believed the owners staged dog fights in the woods behind the house. Police found break sticks, carpet used to cover the floor of the fighting pit, and also de-wormer, and alcohol to clean wounds.

The owner, Carlton D. Nelson, is still at large.

Help Tennessee authorities crack down on this brutal bloodsport. Give law enforcement the tools needed to seek forfeiture of all property used in dog fighting whether it's dog fighting equipment or paraphernalia, drugs, money, trucks, cars, houses, farms, barns, yards, furniture or some other property.

It is also important to make all activities associated with animal fighting illegal. This includes making it illegal not only to stage or participate in the fights but also to own, keep, breed or train dogs for fighting; invest in or provide any equipment of property for a fight, gamble on a fight, be present while preparations are made for a fight, attend a dog fight, or possess dog fighting equipment or paraphernalia.

It is important to have strong penalties for violating dog fighting-related laws. A small fine or a few months in jail is not much of a deterrent when involvement in dog fighting can mean five to six figure purses or a market for illegal drugs and weapons and prostitution.  

Tennessee has taken a step, several steps, in the right direction in working to increase penalties for cock fighting and also making it a felony to allow minors to attend fights or be a spectator or even just present for preparations for animal fights.    

For more information on how to stop dog fighting, click here.  

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has already signed into law a bill to allow forfeiture of animals seized in a cruelty case if the owner does not post within 72 hours a bond to cover the cost of their care.  This will allow animal control to place animals seized in custody cases much more quickly. The animals will not take up shelter space and can be adopted out; there is also less risk of return to cruel owners.  This law also increases incentive for animal control and other law enforcement to seize animals suffering from abuse and neglect.

As one Tennessee police officer put it, "Now we can seize them knowing,  if the owner doesn't post the bond, we won't have the cost of caring for them for months or even years. We can place them within days."