NORTH CAROLINA
A two-day training on animal fighting began Wednesday and more than 100 federal and state law enforcement officials attended the training, according to officials.
The investigations training is being held at the National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
State and national animal control groups estimate that upwards of 40,000 people participate in dog fighting in the U.S. that attract other serious crimes, such as gambling, drug dealing, weapons offenses and money laundering, according to authorities.
Children are commonly present at animal fighting events.
Cockfighting is thought to be similarly widespread.
“Animal fighting ventures are violent and unlawful,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Ending these cruel practices will require a close partnership among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including coordinated investigations and enhanced training programs. Our Division is proud to be a leader in this worthy cause.”
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture.
In 2014, officials said the Department of Justice designated the Environment and Natural Resources Division as the centralized body within the Department responsible for tracking, coordinating, and working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on animal cruelty enforcement matters.
For more information on the Department’s efforts, visit: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/animal-welfare.