Position Statement

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INTR0B0CTI0N
Even though uog fighting is illegal acioss the 0niteu States, theie aie still tens
of thousanus of people paiticipating in unueigiounu uog fighting aiounu the woilu.
Physical ciuelty, abuse anu neglect aie unacceptable means of behavioi foi humans,
anu the same piinciples shoulu apply to the tieatment of animals. Bog fighting is a
seiious issue foi a numbei of ieasons; most impoitantly the tieatment of these uogs
is inhumane, it is cieating a uangei to communities by tiaining uogs to be
aggiessive, it contiibutes to the issue of pet ovei population in animal shelteis, anu
it is commonly associateu with vaiious othei illegal activities such as gambling, uiug
use anu violence.
Phoenix Animal Rescue is committeu to being a pait of the solution. As an
auvocate foi the pit bull bieeu, PAR's goal is to euucate the community about the
seveiity of this issue, to unveil the tiuth about the pit bull bieeu anu uiminish anu
misunueistanuings, anu enfoice moie iigoious penalties foi inuiviuuals caught
paiticipating in uog fighting.

BACKuR00NB:

Bog fighting is a "spoit" wheie two uogs, which have been specifically bieu
anu tiaineu to fight, aie thiown into a iing to fight against each othei foi the
enteitainment of spectatois, anu often involves gambling ovei which uog will win.


The bieeu most commonly associateu with uog fighting is the Ameiican pit bull
teiiiei, which is now unfaiily known as a violent killei. Accoiuing to the ASPCA, the
Ameiican pit bull teiiiei accounts foi 99 peicent of the species involveu in uog
fighting. Resulting in a stigma of pit bulls being seen as a uangeious, violent bieeu.
Fuitheimoie, this has leu to an inciease in bieeu-specific legislation banning pit
bulls in many communities.
Bogs that aie subjecteu to the uog fighting inuustiy aie foiceu to live in
inhumane conuitions, lacking auequate sheltei oi companionship. These uogs
typically live outsiue, isolateu fiom all humanity. They aie abuseu anu neglecteu,
often staiveu anu beaten to builu up aggiession. Piofessional uog fighteis often
paitake in selective bieeuing, in oiuei to contiol possession of the "champion uog
bloou line." This contiibutes to the issue of pet ovei population because animals that
uo not live up to tiainei's expectations will be abanuoneu, if not killeu. A common
motto piofessional uog tiaining bieeueis live by is, "bieeu the best, buiy the iest."
The injuiies inflicteu on uog fighteis aie seveie anu often fatal, incluuing:
bioken bones, punctuie wounus, seveie biuising, inteinal bleeuing, infection anu
much moie.
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Position Statement
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Bog fighting is a felony offense in all Su 0.S. states. PAR suppoits incieasing
the penalties facing inuiviuuals who aie paiticipating in these acts of ciuelty anu
neglect.
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Pit bulls have been given the unfaii ieputation of being an aggiessive,
uangeious bieeu. PAR believes it is impoitant to holu the people peifoiming these
actions accountable, not the uogs who have fallen victim to these behaviois.
"Theie aie no bau uogs, just bau owneis," saiu Nichelle Bunlap, founuei of
Phoenix Animal Rescue.
PAR believes that pit bulls aie just waiting foi the chance to piove that they
aie loyal, loving companions. PAR believes that all animals ueseive a happy life fiee
fiom abuse, neglect anu suffeiing. PAR fiimly believes that any bieeu can be tiaineu
to be aggiessive, especially when faceu with such extieme conuitions of abuse anu
neglect. PAR stiongly uiscouiages meuia outlets fiom uistiibuting misinfoimation
that is geneializeu to bieeu-specific allegations.
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PAR is committeu to pioviuing iesouices foi iehabilitation of uogs iescueu
fiom uog fighting anu euucating inuiviuuals about the iesponsibilities of pet
owneiship anu the iole humans play in the behavioi of uogs.

PR0vIBINu A S0L0TI0N:
PAR believes the solution to this pioblem is euucation about the
misconceptions of the pit bull bieeu, exposing the stigma of negative meuia
coveiage that has leu to city-wiue bans of specific bieeus acioss the countiy.
Fuitheimoie, PAR believes inuiviuuals paiticipating in uog fighting shoulu be faceu
with moie seiious consequences because just paying a fine is not sufficient. This
incluueu inuiviuuals caught paiticipating in uog fighting activities, spectatois,
because they aie willing paiticipants suppoiting ciiminal activity anu encouiaging
the continuation of the business.