Tackling Dog Fighting here in the UK

Dog fighting as a ‘sport’ was banned in 1835, even then it was considered barbaric. But this horrific form of dog abuse continues today. Forcing dogs to fight each other is one of the worst kinds of animal abuse and it remains a major animal welfare issue here in the UK. Dog fighting can attract a jail term of up to 6 months. We say this is not enough.

It’s one of the most horrific forms of animal cruelty. Brutal training methods and fights cause untold physical and mental suffering on ‘man’s best friend’. In 2019, an international network involved in the breeding, selling and transporting of dogs to be used in dog fighting, was exposed in a major BBC report following two years of intelligence gathering by the League. As a result, three dogs were seized, and we expect further investigations to be made by the authorities.

These investigations are dangerous, time consuming and expensive. They require high levels of expertise and courage. But we are determined to stop dog fighting in the UK.

Our project will achieve an increase in warrants leads to an increase in the number of dogs seized and those charged under the Animal Welfare Act. We will ensure dog fighting becomes a widely recognised issue by the public, increasing awareness and intelligence.

Take a look at our dog fighting case studies for more information.

The outcome

If you are interested in supporting our Dog Fighting programme, the Partnership Team would love to talk you through it in more detail. Please contact partnerships@league.org.uk  or call 01483 524250.