page_title: Dog fighting in the United States
section_title: History in U.S.
hierarchical_section_title: Dog fighting in the United States / History in U.S.
caption_attribution_description: English: "A Dog Fight at Kit Burn’s" (Kit Burns's Saloon, New York) by Edward Winslow Martin (James D. McCabe), "The Secrets of the Great City" (Philadelphia, 1868). Library Company. USA.
context_page_description: Dog fighting in the United States is an activity in which fights between two game dogs are staged as a form of entertainment and gambling. Such activity has existed since the early 19th century in the United States and was gradually prohibited in all states. It continues as an underground activity in both rural and urban locations.
  In the late 20th century, police and animal control law enforcement task forces of primarily local and state authorities were formed in many parts of the country to combat dog fighting rings to combat serious animal welfare violations with links to organized crime and social problems. In 2007, the U.S. Congress passed a federal law against interstate dog-fighting activities, providing for felony-level penalties including multi-year prison sentences and large fines for each offense; passage of this law was followed by the involvement of the Inspector General's Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in ongoing investigations around the country.
  In April 2007, the illegal activity received widespread attention after evidence surfaced suggesting professional football player Michael Vick had a dog-fighting ring operating on his property.
context_section_description: According to a study by the Michigan State University College of Law published in 2005, in the United States, dog fighting was once completely legal and was sanctioned and promoted during the colonial period (17th century through 1776) and continuing through the Victorian era in the late 19th century. The early 19th century saw the development in England of the Bull-and-Terrier, first imported into the United States ca. 1817, becoming the foundation stock of the later American Pit Bull Terrier.  Organized dog fighting became a part of American culture, and was promoted by the United Kennel Club. As the activity grew in popularity, so too did opposition to it. By the early 20th century the United Kennel Club dropped its support and by the 1960s most states had made it illegal. It was not until 1976 that it was outlawed in all states and even then, enforcement was generally lax.
  By the late 20th century, as dog fighting became more popular in the poor areas of major U.S. cities, research and investigations revealed strong links with connected with street gangs and social ills, enforcement efforts increased.
  Despite legality issues, dogs are still commonly used for fighting purposes all across the continent. The American Pit Bull Terrier is the most popular breed used for fighting, but foreign breeds, such as the Dogo Argentino (used widely in South America), and to a lesser extent, the Presa Canario are also gaining popularity. In Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the APBT, American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (or any other dog that substantially conforms to any of these breeds' characteristics) is banned, the Dogo Argentino has become the main fighting dog of choice, being used at both organized and street level dogfighting.
caption: “A Dog Fight at Kit Burns' ”, 1868.
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