End Animal Fighting in Virginia!

By: Lowell
Published On: 1/11/2008 2:43:34 PM

An important message from the Humane Society of the United States:

Legislation has been introduced by Senator Tommy Norment (R, Williamsburg) and Delegate Morgan Griffith (R, Salem) and included in Attorney General Bob McDonnell's legislative package to stiffen animal fighting penalties in Virginia. This legislation (S.B. 592/H.B. 656) would make all forms of animal fighting a Class 6 felony and make attending any animal fighting event a misdemeanor. We need your help to pass this legislation!

Although dogfighting is already a Class 6 felony in Virginia, cockfighting is only a misdemeanor. Every state now bans cockfighting, but only Alabama has a weaker law than Virginia's. As a result, cockfighting is thriving in the Commonwealth. With both North Carolina and Maryland now punishing cockfighting as a felony, the state has become a magnet for those that want to commit this crime. It's documented now that several large pits in the southern part of the state attract cockfighters from North Carolina, who treat Virginia as a refuge and come to the state to avoid the stiff penalties back home.

Animal fighters try to pass off the fighting at these staged spectacles as "entertainment." We know it's sickening cruelty. It's shocking that hundreds of people come to watch and enjoy seeing the bloodletting. And all too often, animal fighting is associated with other crimes, such as narcotics, illegal firearms, and money laundering.

It is critical that your state legislators...hear from constituents who support this legislation!

There's no excuse for cruelty to animals. None. Let's put an end both fighting AND puppy mills now.

Comments



Why does everything have to (Sui Juris - 1/11/2008 2:44:51 PM)
be a felony?


Everything? (Lowell - 1/11/2008 2:56:51 PM)
Who said that?


no one needs to say it (Sui Juris - 1/11/2008 3:02:34 PM)
but it certainly seems to be heading in that direction.  Found something that makes people mad?  Make it a felony!

Why?  Not sure.  But it sounds good.



Being a republican... (lgb30856 - 1/11/2008 2:56:24 PM)
...should be a felony.  


Well, when they mentioned cockfighting..... (Bill H. - 1/11/2008 4:35:06 PM)
...I thought they were referring to the Virginia House GOP.  


Let me get this straight... (Jack Landers - 1/11/2008 5:35:38 PM)
Do we have huge numbers of convictions for this as a misdemeanor and then a high rate of repeat offenders? Because that would tell me that the problem is inadequate penalties.

If, however, we have relatively few misdemeanor convictions happening then that tells me that passing a new law to increase penalties is not going to do much good. In that case, the real problem would seem to be willingness of the Commonwealth to arrest and prosecute people for cockfighting in the first place.

I'm all in favor of humane treatment of animals. I just want to know the whole story before I go supporting any particular legislation.



Spot on. (Sui Juris - 1/11/2008 6:18:53 PM)