Investigating Animal Cruelty 43 • Gamblers or persons arrested or convicted of related offenses • Dogfighters or persons arrested or convicted of related offenses • Drug dealers or users or persons arrested for or convicted of related offenses • Participants in weight-pulling and confirmation shows • Neighbors of dogfighters (vicious dog or neglect complaints) • Utility service people and mail carriers (vicious dog complaints) • Wild hog hunters (pit bulls are sometimes used as catch dogs) Many dogfighters act as though they are proud of the fact that they are outlaws, and background checks on convicted individuals indicate that a large percentage has extensive prior records for a variety of other crimes. It is not unusual for dogfighters to boast about their past arrests or convictions for assault, drug dealing, theft and other crimes. In fact, police agencies often become aware of animal fighting by accident during the course of seemingly unrelated investigations. Whenever feasible, vice or narcotics investigators should inquire about a suspect’s (or informant’s) knowledge of animal fighting. One such investigation began after a narcotics agent observed that a suspect had several tattoos of pit bull dogs, including one depicting dogs in combat. In recent years, dogfighters have attempted to conceal their participation by claiming they raise the dogs for legal weight-pulling competitions and confirmation shows. Past investigations have revealed that some dogfighters do indeed attend ADBA or AADRsanctioned events, sometimes referred to as point-and-pull shows. Participation in these events allows fighters to claim they only raise the dogs for legitimate purposes, and it is a means of making contact with other fighters. Because these events are open to the public, they also provide an excellent opportunity for investigators to initiate contact with suspects, identify associates, record vehicle licenses and photograph participants with battle-scarred dogs. Since many of these events are hosted by a local or state pit bull club, some investigators have found it advantageous to become a member in order to meet individuals who are knowledgeable about, and possibly involved in, dogfighting. Whatever the approach, it is important to remember that participation in legal activities such as weight-pulling contests and confirmation shows does not rule out involvement in criminal activities. Finally, because multiple jurisdictions are frequently involved, limited contacts should be established with other cooperating agencies (humane societies, animal control, law enforcement, etc.). The multijurisdictional task force approach has been enormously successful in various parts of the country. Investigators are invited to contact The HSUS headquarters to speak with our animal fighting experts for further assistance (see Appendix VI). Internet investigation basics The new era of those engaged in dogfighting has moved to the internet, with many participants relying on message board forums, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to communicate. This evolution means that investigations into this criminal activity must evolve as well. internet investigations have long aided law enforcement on crimes against children, narcotics investigations and gang-related investigations. As such, these types of investigations should be pursued for crimes against animals as well. Message boards and online forums There are several types of internet forums available to those engaged in dogfighting. They could be based on: • Geographical location Specialized cases
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