Shocking brutality uncovered in dog fighting probe

An investigation into dog fighting in Beds has found dogs are being slammed into walls to toughen them up, cats and dogs used as '˜bait' to train fighting dogs and dead dogs dumped in the countryside.
Dog fighting pilot in LutonDog fighting pilot in Luton
Dog fighting pilot in Luton

These are among the disturbing findings of the investigation which focused on the areas in Luton, Bedford, Dunstable and Houghton Regis.

Project Bloodline was a six month investigation by the League Against Cruel Sports designed to understand why and where dog fighting takes place and how to stop it.

Findings included:

· Banned dogs being bred and sold in a black market in order to supply the demand for fighting dogs, with Pitbull ‘type’ puppies selling for £1,000

· Before a fight has even taken place animals are left severely injured or are even killed after being subjected to brutal training methods including body or head slamming

· A feral cat colony being kept to supply ‘bait’ for dog fighting

· A Staffordshire Bull Terrier which had been used for ‘bait’ had its teeth crudely pulled and broken with pliers so that it could not defend itself

· The bodies of dead dogs, which had been used for fighting, dumped near farmland

The League Against Cruel Sports’ CEO Eduardo Goncalves said: “Dogs are being bred and sold specifically for fighting, pet animals are being used to provide a steady supply of torture victims for cruel training exercises.

“They are tethered down or used as dangling bait for dogs being trained to fight for fun.

“The cruelty behind this underground world is endless and it’s happening right under our noses.”

The League Against Cruel Sports has started a petition calling for the government to tackle dog fighting, including increasing sentences for convicted dog fighters. The petition can be signed at www.league.org.uk/dogfighting.