Speed Up the Pace to End Cruel Animal Fighting: Support the PACE Act.

Animal cruelty takes many forms, but some of the worst is animal abuse inflicted for financial gain and the pleasure and entertainment of humans. Spectacles such as dogfighting, cockfighting and hog vs dog fights are clearly prohibited in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Being a spectator at one of these events is a misdemeanour but buying, training and other more involved activities could land you with a felony count.

These laws however only count within the United States. In US territories such as Guam, American Samoa and Puerto Rico, the current law leaves an enormous loophole that allows residents to continue using animal fights as a form of profit and entertainment.

In fact, Puerto Rico has become a hotbed of cockfighting where specially bred roosters are raised and decked with sharp razors along their legs and then forced to fight against one another to the death.

Right now we have a chance to close the loophole that allows this type of practice to continue in our American territories. A new proposal is currently making its way through Congress that seeks to clarify that US territories are not excluded from the AWA's provisions against animal fighting. If it passes, the cockfighting industry in Puerto Rico and any other animal fighting events that take place within US territories will be shut down and those who participate in them will face harsh legal penalties.

Make sure your representatives know you want the PACE Act to close the loophole against animal fighting throughout ALL of America. Sign the petition and tell your Congressperson or Senator you want them to vote YES on the PACE Act.