Dog-fighting in your neighborhood

[Aerows]

I abhor it, and I have reported it to the police, and my father told me to keep my mouth shut. I really don't know what to do at this point, but I have cats that I care for, and if one of them was used as bait, I would be incinerated with anger.

What in the hell do you do about people turning a blind eye to such a thing? I have gone through the normal channels, and there isn't anyone around me that can't point and determine the direction it is occurring in. Why in THE HELL do our police fail us?

[JackintheGreen]

1. Report it, report it, report it!

Again and again, both the police and to the SPCA. The police probably won't do anything at first, but if you get SPCA involved (or other effective animal advocates, depending on where you are), they'll bring in the PD.

That said, you also have to be mindful of your own safety. I live in Philadelphia, and there's a lot of dog-fighting here (less now, but still). And the people that do it are fearless and protective. A good friend of mine was actually attacked by dog-fighters while walking her dog. They thought it would be good practice for their dog to attack her dog on the street, I guess. Fortunately she owns the most bad-assed Cane Corso I've ever known and their dog was just destroyed in the ensuing fight. That ring was eventually broken up, at least insofar as she tells me there's no more organized fighting in her neighborhood.

Keep at it, and good luck.

[Aerows]

2. Safety

My father pretty much told me to keep my mouth shut for my own safety.

[JackintheGreen]

6. I get that, I do

But I bought my house only to find out later that the very polite 20-something was selling drugs next door. They also kept a pitbull that I suspect was meant for fighting but was such a dumb, sweet bastard that he would have been useless. My wife and I spent equal parts chatting with them on the stoop and being nice to their kids in public and anonymously reporting them to the police in private.

You have to look to your own safety first, but what's that old saw? Evil prevails when good men do nothing?

I wish you the best, whatever you decide.

[Aerows]

9. It isn't like that

It isn't an assumption that dog-fighting is going on. It's the reality that it IS going on. When you hear multiple dogs get shipped in barking on a Saturday night, then hear them baying, it has nothing to do with "assuming".

[JackintheGreen]

19. I don't know

if you're purposely misunderstanding or if I'm being obtuse. There *was* a crime going on next door: drug dealing. Forget about the dog I only think had been involved in dog-fighting. I reported them repeatedly to the police. The police repeatedly came. But by remaining publicly civil to the neighbors we were never targeted for retaliation.

Report it. Anonymously. Tell the cops you here baying "down the street" rather than next door, in case the responding officer lets something slip. If the neighbors confront you tell them you weren't even home, then call the cops again. It'll become obvious that you're the caller once the cops go next door and say "we hear you've been threatening your neighbor," but I doubt it'll g come to that.

Protecting their ring means being elusive, not threatening/beating up the neighbors. If the cops show up on Saturday night they'll catch them and haul them off. If they come another day they may only find evidence of fighting, but then the ringleaders are on the defensive and need to move on.

Will you be subject to retaliation? Possibly, but I think chances are in your favor unless this is a gang that runs the neighborhood, not just the dogfights. But if this last is the case, everybody in the neighborhood already knows it, and you didn't mention anything of the kind.

So your options are two: 1. don't report it knowing animal torture is happening next door, or 2. do report anonymously and run the slight risk of retaliation.

[reggie the dog]

21. you ratted on your neighbor just because they sold drugs? really?

[JackintheGreen]

25. No, I ratted on them

because they rather too obviously sold hard drugs 50 feet from my then 9 y.o. daughter and less than half a block from a public park. They were also terrible neighbors: loud, disruptive, trash-strewing, inconsiderate, trespassing, etc.

Let me be clear about my position. I think US drug policy is abhorrent and I think drugs should be legal. But they're not, and if you're going to be a shit neighbor I'm going to use whatever leverage I have against you.

But this really isn't the point of the discussion, so thank you for glomming onto a tangent.

[Aerows]

26. Holy Hell this took a turn that it shouldn't have taken

I don't care if someone used drugs, but I care if they are abusing animals.

That I had to explain. In any case, let's discuss the subject at hand.

[JackintheGreen]

31. The perils of DU

Personal politics often hijacks things.

Short if it is this: report it. Anonymously.

Good luck.

[meegbear]

3. You should report it ... do it anonymously ...

Boston police are investigating a possible dog fighting ring after 11 live pit bulls and one dead pit bull were found caged or chained in the basement of a Dorchester home.

Police say they received an anonymous tip about the dogs, many of which were injured and malnourished.

Police executed a search warrant on the home on Monday and found the animals in a basement that smelled of dog waste. Police observed that the animals had no access to food or water and many had injuries.

One dog was so weak it had to be carried from the basement.

Police say they have talked on the telephone to the resident of the home who admitted owning the dogs. There have been no arrests because the man is out of state.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12006217155161/boston-police-probe-possible-dog-fighting-ring/#ixzz1hBGOMWh6

I know it's easy for us to say do it since we're not the ones reporting it, but if there's a question about anyone abusing an animal, it should be reported.

[Aerows]

4. ?

Is there concern about my safety for reporting dog fighting? My father sounded scared to death that I reported it, but honestly, I was doing my civic duty, and hoping to protect my cats and the children of people that might encounter these animals.

[JVS]

5. Yes there is a risk. People don't dogfight just for amusement or because they're sickos.

People organize dogfights because the gambling surrounding dog fighting is a good way to make money. Reporting it is just as likely to gain you enemies as reporting bookies in local bars. There's business at stake.

[Aerows]

7. Oh God

I didn't know. Thank you for telling me.

I still can't stand it, but now I understand why my father told me to not pursue it.

[Iggo]

10. It's illegal gambling.

[Aerows]

12. And that means I'm a target?

I'm also a lesbian, so I am familiar with being a target, but could this mean I become a target of retaliation?

I didn't even think about that.

[MineralMan]

15. Police don't usually supply the name of the person who called them

to the people they're investigating. That's to prevent retaliation. Anyone in your neighborhood could have been the person who called.

That said, most cities have anonymous tip lines you can call to report crimes. You might want to look into that if you have concerns.

[Iggo]

17. Are you the kind of person who goes up to criminals...

...and says "Hey! Yeah, that's right. It was me. I called the cops on you, you dirty dog-fighting bastards"? If not, you should be fine.

Report it. Let the cops do their jobs. Leave it at that.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Where gambling is involved, I would definitely cover my tracks with a pre-paid cell phone.

The cops are probably in on it.

[Aerows]

27. Good lord.

That is my only response, and I would hope that people in this community care enough to defend people like me.

[xmas74]

20. I know someone who has been reporting a drug dealer for months now

to the police. He has a prepaid Trac phone and always makes calls from it, never giving anything too specific about who he is. He always says that the problems come from (example: the 600th block of Main St), never says "neighbors", always says he was "visiting a friend in the area" and never, ever leaves his name or contact info. With the Trac phone even if they tried to call the number back they wouldn't be able to trace any further info about him.

[Aerows]

32. I'll be honest

I'm scared to say anything now, but the need to protect the animals in my neighborhood, thinking of that poor cat that was nearly torn to death (and probably ended up dying) I can't give up.

Thank you for everyone telling me I need to stay safe. I didn't realize that reporting this could bring me harm. It will change my methods, but not my fortitude.

[xmas74]

34. That's why they used a prepaid Trac phone.

It can't be traced, since the call only shows the number and no other information. They were able to make numerous reports yet remain anonymous.

[mopinko]

8. big problem around here. the penalties are actually stiff in illinois.

that might be part of the problem. if all they get is a slap on the wrist, cops tend not to bother. but the main reason they are prosecuted here is that drugs are usually associated with it, and so it is a wedge in the door of a "big" bust.
then there is always the chance that your pops knows whose dogs are in those fights, as they say.

i would look for others who are working on this issue. humane society. animal control. get as much info as you can. line up as many "finger pointers" to stand with you as you can.

it is a sick thing. it appeals to sick people. your pops is right that there is reason to fear. not the same as reason to not act, tho.

[Aerows]

11. Should I be afraid for my safety if I report it?

It doesn't mean I won't report it, it just means I'll take precautions.

I never expected that vehemently denouncing what to me is cruelty could make me a target.

[joeybee12]

13. How did you find out? My friend had a boxer he took to the park...

He often had peiople come up with pit bulls and ask him if he'd like to have his dog (the boxer) fight him...he never reported it because he knew they'd know who did. Otherwise, I assume the police or any rescue agency would keep you out of it as long as the ones doing the fighting are not already aware it was you or have an inkling.

[mopinko]

14. well, it isn't a bridge game. it does attract some rough sorts.

do you trust the cops?

[Aerows]

28. No

And I live in a fairly affluent area. It's out of control.

[Iggo]

18. My advice to you is you leave the vehemence at home.

It's not about making a show of how much you hate dog-fighting.

It's about getting them to stop.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. That's a great idea "line up as many "finger pointers" to stand with you as you can"

They probably know what buttons to push.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

30. I had a Chicago cop warn me about dog stealing.

I was at Starbuck's on Broadway in Lakeview and had my dog tied up out in front. I saw the cop notice my dog and head inside where I was standing in line. I thought she was going to yell at me for having my pup tied to the bike-rack. She came in to warn about dog thefts in the neighborhood. As she was telling me this, a guy sitting at a nearby table chimed in to say someone tried to snatch his dog from in front of the same shop. The other dog owner said he came out to see some dude casually walking his dog away down Broadway.

The cop told me they steal them for fighting bait.

Even before then, I never took my eyes off her when tied up. I certainly wouldn't THINK of it now.

[Aerows]

33. That is what scares me about my cat

She is a prolific huntress, and I love her to death. It would end me if somebody grabbed her to make her bait, and I have good reason to be concerned. I have put her rabies tag on and it stayed for months. Once I reported the dogfighting, she came home without her collar and tag. I bought another tag and collar, and the tag lasted one day. Her collar, green to match her beautiful eyes, lasted two days that time.

I will promise you that I will go ballistic if someone harms Roma. I love her dearly, and it is at their peril that they mess with her.

[TorchTheWitch]

35. you need to keep your cat inside

Putting a collar on her is not going to protect her. If you are so worried about this dog fighting ring, you must protect your cat. The only way to do that is not to let her roam around the neighborhood.

The cat has been getting out of the collar herself. They're good at that. The dog fighting people had nothing to do with it otherwise you'd never have seen your cat again.

You need to report this anonymously. I understand why your father is afraid for you, but allowing this to go on only puts you and everyone else in the neighborhood more at risk. Report it anonymously to the police and report it to every agency you can think of to also get involved. It isn't just needing to worry about abused animals or the possibility of neighbors having their pets snatched and used as bait or what these dogs might do to other people especially children. Dog fighting rings bring in a bad element of people that are also involved in other illegal things that you don't want in your neighborhood nor given the opportunity to expand.

[Bonhomme Richard]

16. Contact the animal humane society. n/t

[saras]

24. Report it, over and over, whereever you have to to get results. If the police don't act, move on.

Just be aware that you may be putting yourself in personal danger if they know who you are.

There are other things that work, but I can't say some of them here, and others will be spoiled if they are too well known. Stay legal.

[AtomicKitten]

29. You did the right thing.

Also report it to your local SPCA before neighborhood pets starting disappearing.