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A huge thank you to Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden for co-sponsoring the Fight Inhumane Gambling and High Risk Animal Trafficking Act in Congress ( H.R. 2742 and S. 1529), as it makes its way through the House and Senate. The Center for a Humane Economy worked closely with the Maine delegation in securing their support.
The FIGHT Act will amend Section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act, enhancing support for local law enforcement for violations of the federal law prohibiting dogfighting and cockfighting, one that represents one of our nation’s bedrock animal cruelty statutes. Despite being criminalized everywhere in the United States, staged animal fighting is startlingly widespread.
Animal fighting is often associated with other criminal enterprises, including drug trafficking, dealing in illegal weapons and various violent crimes including homicide, child abuse, and human trafficking. Federal investigations have shown animal fighting to be an intricate and organized criminal enterprise, moving multi-ton quantities of heroin and methamphetamines across the country.
The FIGHT Act would protect public health from the spread of avian flu and address additional criminal activities conducted at animal fighting venues by enhancing enforcement capacity to include a citizen suit and real property forfeiture clause in the amendments, among others.
These amendments will enhance law enforcement capabilities in our communities, keeping them safe, while creating a more humane nation when it comes to how we treat animals.
Gina Garey
Portland
