Online ads point to dogfighting rings in Calgary area
By Deborah Tetley, Postmedia News November 5, 2010 12:03 AM
CALGARY — A spike in online ads for “bully” dogs described as fearless aggressive monsters, coupled with canines turning up with strange scars and missing ears, has animal welfare officials fearing underground dogfighting rings are popping up in the Calgary area.
In the past six months the Calgary Humane Society has seen at least three large breed dogs surrendered to the shelter with unexplained injuries, including a pit bull with a massive cut to her face and such serious injuries to one eye that it had to be removed.
“They have scratches and bites and scrapes and they come in looking a little rough,” Desiree Arsenault, a spokeswoman for the humane society said Thursday. “At the very least they’ve been in a dogfight and it’s possible they have been involved in illegal dogfighting.”
While no dogfighting rings have been discovered within the city, Calgary’s bylaw boss says he’s received several tips in the past six months there is one operating on the southern edge of the city.
If that’s the case it won’t be long before the underground rings — where dogs fight other dogs for “sport” in front of spectators, pop up in other locations, said Bill Bruce, director of animal and bylaw services.
“We need to get on this because it’s only a matter of time before they try to set up a ring for their filthy activities here in the city,” he said.
Arsenault and Bruce say the proliferation of online ads in which Alberta breeders describe the dogs as Xtreme, ferocious, monstrous, aggressive and with champion blood lines is proof that such breeds as pit bulls, mastiffs and a popular guard dog breed called Cane Corso, are being bred to fight.
“Whenever we see an ad advertising how big the dog’s head is, that is fight lingo,” said Bruce.
“The bigger the head the bigger the jaw so the more powerful the dog’s going to be and ultimately be a better fighter.”
The humane society is reportedly working with the local online advertising website Kijiji to scrutinize and remove ads that contain “red flag words.”
“When there’s a suspicion that we’re dealing with such ads where a poster might be trading a dog for the purpose of fighting, we’re going to take down the ad,” Christian Jasserand, head of the Kijiji’s customer support, told the National Post.
Bruce and Arsenault say it’s also possible that the dogs being bred in Alberta are being shipped to fight in the U.S.
Calgary Herald
dtetley@calgaryherald.com
In the past six months the Calgary Humane Society has seen at least three large breed dogs surrendered to the shelter with unexplained injuries, including a pit bull with a massive cut to her face and such serious injuries to one eye that it had to be removed.
“They have scratches and bites and scrapes and they come in looking a little rough,” Desiree Arsenault, a spokeswoman for the humane society said Thursday. “At the very least they’ve been in a dogfight and it’s possible they have been involved in illegal dogfighting.”
While no dogfighting rings have been discovered within the city, Calgary’s bylaw boss says he’s received several tips in the past six months there is one operating on the southern edge of the city.
If that’s the case it won’t be long before the underground rings — where dogs fight other dogs for “sport” in front of spectators, pop up in other locations, said Bill Bruce, director of animal and bylaw services.
“We need to get on this because it’s only a matter of time before they try to set up a ring for their filthy activities here in the city,” he said.
Arsenault and Bruce say the proliferation of online ads in which Alberta breeders describe the dogs as Xtreme, ferocious, monstrous, aggressive and with champion blood lines is proof that such breeds as pit bulls, mastiffs and a popular guard dog breed called Cane Corso, are being bred to fight.
“Whenever we see an ad advertising how big the dog’s head is, that is fight lingo,” said Bruce.
“The bigger the head the bigger the jaw so the more powerful the dog’s going to be and ultimately be a better fighter.”
The humane society is reportedly working with the local online advertising website Kijiji to scrutinize and remove ads that contain “red flag words.”
“When there’s a suspicion that we’re dealing with such ads where a poster might be trading a dog for the purpose of fighting, we’re going to take down the ad,” Christian Jasserand, head of the Kijiji’s customer support, told the National Post.
Bruce and Arsenault say it’s also possible that the dogs being bred in Alberta are being shipped to fight in the U.S.
Calgary Herald
dtetley@calgaryherald.com
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Online+point+dogfighting+rings+Calgary+area/3780050/story.html#ixzz14O3JO7Xg
Looks to me they tried very hard in naming all breeds except the most obvious one that these dogs most likely: pit bulls. I would also like to know why these suspected fighting dogs are being adopted out, and why they are alerting the dog fighters not to use the internet instead of staying quiet, answering the ads, and making some arrests.
ReplyDeleteIf he busts dogfighting rings, that means he offends his breeder buddies. If they are bold enough to advertise, they feel very comfortable with animal control and law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteThere goes the neighborhood!
ReplyDelete