DOGFIGHTING IS A CRISIS IN AMERICA.

Dogfighting in the United States: What You Need to Know

Dogfighting is one of the most violent forms of animal abuse still happening in the United States. It is an organized crime, a blood sport, and a serious felony in every state, yet it continues to operate underground in cities, suburbs, and rural communities.

At Beezy’s Rescue, we primarily work with dogs rescued from shelters. Many of these shelters care for victims of cruelty cases, including those from dogfighting operations. This page provides a clear overview of dogfighting, its presence in the U.S., and what you can do if you suspect it.

For a deeper dive into specific cases and recent busts, you can also read our blog post: “Recent Dogfighting Cases: Who’s Being Caught, What We’re Learning & How Rescuers Need to Prepare.” (Beezy’s Rescue)

What Is Dogfighting?

Dogfighting is a “blood sport” in which dogs are bred, conditioned, and forced to fight one another for human entertainment and profit. Fights usually take place in a small enclosed ring or “pit,” often surrounded by spectators who bet on the outcome. (Humane World for Animals)

Dogs are pushed to continue fighting even when they are seriously injured. Matches may end when one dog can no longer stand, refuses to continue, is critically injured, or dies.

Most dogs used in dogfighting are pit bull-type dogs, not because they are “naturally aggressive,” but because people have selectively exploited their strength, stamina, and willingness to work for people. (Humane World for Animals)

How Common Is Dogfighting?

Because dogfighting is a secretive and illegal activity, exact numbers are difficult to obtain. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has estimated that tens of thousands of people are involved in organized dogfighting in the U.S., with hundreds of thousands more participating in street-level fights.

Recent multi-state and federal cases show that:

  • Large organized operations may keep dozens or even hundreds of dogs at a time. (WLTX)
  • Dogfighters may be anyone, from individuals with long criminal histories to professionals with wealth and social status, including former athletes and government officials. (AP News)

Dogfighting is not a “thing of the past,” and it is not limited to any single neighborhood, income level, or demographic group.

How Dogfighting Operations Work

Breeding and “Conditioning”

Dogfighters often run breeding operations, selling puppies and breeding rights from dogs that have “won” fights. (AP News)

Dogs may be:

  • Kept chained on heavy logging chains or in small pens, often outdoors with little shelter.
  • Conditioned on treadmills or “slatmills,” sometimes tethered by a harness or chain.
  • Worked on spring poles (a rope or toy hanging from a spring) to build jaw and neck strength.
  • Run on “Jenny Mills” or “Cat Mills,” where a dog is harnessed to a rotating arm and encouraged to chase a caged “bait” animal.

Some operations also use drugs, including anabolic steroids, to build muscle or suppress pain so dogs will keep fighting through injury.

The Fight

Fights typically take place in a wooden or makeshift pit measuring roughly 14–20 square feet, with low walls and diagonal “scratch lines” in opposite corners. Dogs start behind these lines and are released on cue. Blood stains in the pit are common in active operations.

Handlers may use “break sticks,” short, wedge-shaped tools, to pry open a dog’s mouth when they refuse to let go. These are often bloodstained and kept near the pit.

After the Fight

Dogs that lose, show fear, or refuse to keep fighting may be:

  • Killed on the spot
  • Abandoned with untreated injuries
  • Used as “bait dogs” in future training sessions

Even the “winners” often have multiple scars, chronic injuries, infections, and broken or missing teeth. (ASPCA)

The Dogs: Victims, Not Villains

Dogfighting survivors are victims of organized violence. Most have endured:

  • Chronic pain and untreated wounds
  • Social isolation and sensory deprivation
  • Repeated fear, stress, and life-threatening experiences

While many of these dogs have been forced to fight other dogs, many remain highly social with people. Others are fearful, shut down, or reactive because of what humans have done to them.

It is important to remember:

  • “Pit bull” is not a single breed, but an umbrella term for several types of dogs. (thehumanesociety.org)
  • There is no scientific evidence that pit bull-type dogs are inherently more dangerous than other dogs. Behavior is shaped by learning, environment, and individual history. (thehumanesociety.org)

At Beezy’s Rescue, we treat each dog as an individual. We oppose breed-specific bans and focus on promoting welfare, behavior, and safety for both dogs and their owners.

Laws Against Dogfighting

State Laws

Dogfighting is now a felony in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. In most states, it is also illegal to: (ASPCA)

  • Possess dogs for the purpose of fighting
  • Own or operate a dogfighting arena or equipment
  • Be a spectator at a dogfight

Penalties vary by state but often include prison time, fines, forfeiture of animals, and bans on owning animals in the future.

Federal Law

At the federal level, dogfighting is prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. § 2156) and the related criminal penalties in 18 U.S.C. § 49. (Animal Legal Defense Fund)

Federal law makes it illegal to:

  • Sponsor or exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture
  • Buy, sell, transport, deliver, or receive any animal for use in fighting
  • Use the mail or other instruments of interstate commerce to advertise or promote animal fighting
  • Attend an animal fighting event, or bring a minor to one

Violations can carry a sentence of up to five years in federal prison per count, plus substantial fines. (Animal Legal Defense Fund)

Dogfighting cases are often prosecuted alongside other crimes like drug trafficking, illegal gambling, and weapons offenses. (ASPCA)

Recognizing Signs of Dogfighting

Not every scarred dog or treadmill is evidence of a crime, but the following clusters of signs are strong red flags when seen together:

Red Flags in the Environment

  • Multiple pit bull-type dogs are kept on heavy chains or in small pens
  • Dogs who appear underweight, unsocialized, unneutered, or repeatedly injured
  • Dogs chained inches apart from one another, often with no real shelter

Equipment and Set-Up

  • Slat or electric treadmills with chains or harnesses fixed to them
  • Spring poles (rope, tire, or toy hung from a tree or beam) are used in a high-intensity way
  • “Jenny Mills” or “Cat Mills” are a central post with arms where a dog chases a smaller caged animal
  • Wooden or makeshift “pits” with low walls and diagonal scratch lines in opposite corners
  • “Break sticks” are 8–12 inch wedge-shaped pieces of wood or hard plastic, often bloodstained

The Dogs Themselves

  • Scars and puncture wounds on the face, muzzle, chest, front legs, hindquarters, and inner thighs
  • Swollen faces, mangled or cropped ears, broken or missing teeth
  • Dogs that appear fearful or shut down around people but reactive or hyper-focused around other dogs (Animal Legal Defense Fund)

Paper and Digital Trails

  • Ledgers or notebooks tracking “wins,” losses, and breeding lines
  • Underground dogfighting publications (paper or digital), or ads offering “game-bred” dogs
  • Social media accounts bragging about matches, scars, or “champion” bloodlines

Remember: some of this equipment (like treadmills or flirt poles) can be used ethically in regular dog training. What matters is the whole picture: the number of dogs, their condition, and the overall context.

How to Report Suspected Dogfighting

Your safety comes first. Never attempt to break up a fight or enter a suspected dogfighting property without proper authorization.

In an Emergency

  • If you see an active dogfight or dogs in immediate life-threatening danger, call 911 right away.

For Ongoing or Suspected Operations

  1. Contact local authorities
    • Call your local animal control agency, sheriff’s department, or police non-emergency line.
    • Provide as many details as you can safely gather, including address or cross streets, descriptions of people and vehicles, the number and condition of dogs, and the times of day when you observe activity. If possible, include photos or video footage without putting yourself at risk.
  2. Call the national HSUS animal fighting tip line.
    • HSUS Dogfighting & Animal Fighting Tip Line: 1-877-TIP-HSUS (1-877-847-4787)
    • The HSUS offers a reward (up to $5,000) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of dogfighters.
  3. In Los Angeles County
    • Los Angeles Dogfighting Tip Line: 1-877-777-2585
    • This line serves Los Angeles County and the surrounding areas and is funded and operated by the Stand Up For Pits Foundation. (Stand Up For Pits Foundation)

What About Social Media?

If you find suspected dogfighters on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or other platforms:

  • Do not confront them in comments or DMs. Calling them out publicly can cause them to delete their accounts and evidence. (Humane Decisions)
  • Take screenshots of usernames, posts, stories, location tags, dates, and any visible identifying information.
  • Save links to profiles or videos.
  • Submit those details to law enforcement or an animal-fighting tip line, rather than just reporting the content to the platform.

When Dogs Are Rescued: What Rescues and Shelters Need to Know

Dogs seized from dogfighting operations often need intensive, long-term support:

  • Medical care: chronic wounds, scar tissue, infections, dental damage, malnutrition, parasites, and reproductive health issues in overbred females. (ASPCA Pro)
  • Decompression and behavior support: time in quiet, stable environments; predictable routines; consent-based handling; and careful introductions to people and other animals.
  • Quarantine and evidence preservation: intake exams, detailed documentation of injuries and scars, microchip scans, and secure record-keeping to support legal cases. (ASPCA Pro)

Not every dog from a fighting case is dog-aggressive, and not every dog can or should be forced to live with other dogs. Each dog needs an individual evaluation, ideally by behavior professionals who understand both trauma and normal dog behavior. (ASPCA Pro)

At Beezy’s Rescue, our focus is on:

  • Home-based decompression (getting dogs into foster homes instead of warehousing them)
  • Reward-based training and muzzle conditioning are used as a safety tool, not a punishment.
  • Careful matching of dogs with fosters and adopters who can meet their needs

For a detailed look at what recent cases have required from shelters and rescues, see our “Recent Dogfighting Cases” article. (Beezy’s Rescue)

How You Can Help

Even if you never encounter a dogfighting case personally, you can still make a difference:

  • Stay alert and report concerns using the channels above.
  • Support organizations that rehabilitate cruelty-case dogs and prioritize welfare and evidence-based behavior care. (Beezy’s Rescue)
  • Advocate for stronger laws and enforcement, including felony penalties, lifetime animal-ownership bans for convicted dogfighters, and cost-of-care laws that shift financial burden to offenders. (Congress.gov)
  • Challenge breed myths when you hear them. Remind people that pit bull-type dogs are individuals, not the cause, and often victims in these cases. (thehumanesociety.org)
  • Share accurate information, not rumors. Use confirmed sources, case numbers, and official updates to ensure you don’t inadvertently compromise active investigations. (Beezy’s Rescue)

Dogfighting is intentionally hidden. That means everyday people like your neighbors, delivery drivers, utility workers, and community members are often the ones who first notice something is wrong. When you know what to look for and how to report it safely, you become part of the solution.