Increase Penalties For Animal Fighting Criminals to Ensure End to Dog Fights

  • by: Sue Lee
  • recipient: U.S. Sentencing Commission

Dog fighting is an escalating problem and concern that is hard to get under control through the devious, illegal methods used by the violators of such crimes.  This brutal type of crime, fighting dog against dog to the death, occurs all over the country. The problem is that these crimes will not stop without stricter repercussions for the criminals.  Read more at https://www.aspca.org/form/get-tough?ms=em_ade_USA-animalfighting-article-advocacy-alert-20160120&initialms=em_ade_USA-animalfighting-article-advocacy-alert-20160120&utm_source=USAanimalfightingarticleadvocacyalert20160120&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=advocacy.

Although it is true that dog fighting is a felony criminal offense, the punishment does not seem to fit the crime.  These abusers need to spend more time behind bars but in reality, many just seem to get a slap on the hand and be released of any convictions.  Apparently, those who are punished, receive sentences of less than six months for such heinous crimes against these poor animals. 

The effort in this petition is to urge more stringent sentences against those engaged in dog fighting operations, and your help is vital.  We need to target the U. S. Sentencing Commission and ask them to inflict higher sentences on these criminals.  Currently, federal law looks at these offenses as gambling offenses with a punishment of between six to 12 months instead of an animal cruelty issue with a term of up to 5 years.  The sentencing guidelines for these types of crimes need to be updated to include dog fighting with a minimum base level of between 21 to 27 months, which still seems to be inadequate for such crimes against so many of these animals who have suffered unbearably.

Your help is needed in urging the Sentencing Commission to get tougher on these animal fighting operations and those involved so that such practices can stop and the animals saved.  Help me in making sure that people who force animals to fight are punished to the fullest extent of the law by signing and sharing this petition.  It is the only way to stop dog fighting and save the lives of these dogs that are used as a sick form of entertainment!


Federal judges rely heavily on the sentencing guidelines when faced with unfamiliar crimes like animal fighting. Your action is critical to ensuring that these crimes are sentenced appropriately.     Thank you very much for your consideration of this important issue.





U.S. Sentencing Commission – It is highly commendable that a proposed amendment to the federal animal fighting sentencing guidelines to ensure more stringent punishment on such criminals.  Consider increasing the offense level to a level 16 that would ensure higher sentencing and jail time.  Such changes to the guidelines would lead to future prison sentences of up to 5 years, not months. I am also asking that you implement specific offense characteristics in relation to fighting operations that involves cruelty and harm to a large number of animals that endure neglect and abuse at the hands of these criminals.   In order for judges to give out appropriate punishment, the sentencing guidelines need to be more specific, tougher and stringent that will ensure the penalties fit the crime.  This is the only way that the crimes against animals in these dog fighting operations will stop.


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