• Bloodlines • Kennel names Message board homepage • Topics • Author • Number of replies to each posting • Date posts were made Facebook Facebook can be a wealth of information for your investigation. It can reveal valuable information about your suspect’s operation, his associations with others engaged in dogfighting, his dogs, sales of dogs as well as potential wins and losses of organized matches. APBT Facebook pages With the rise in popularity of Facebook, there are now hundreds of APBT and Gamedog Facebook pages for dogfighting enthusiasts to connect with others engaged in this activity. These pages can provide a wealth of intelligence information on many individuals throughout the country and abroad. How can this information be used in your case? Commonly used supplements, drugs and veterinary supplies While this may be circumstantial evidence, it can help you to build your case. You can often find detailed information in online forums and on Facebook that can help you build your case and aid in obtaining search warrants for the locations you are investigating. This information might show a detailed pattern of involvement in dogfighting and can even open up the door to an undercover operation. Many individuals fail to use the privacy functions of their Facebook page, leaving it open for you to obtain their friends list, see check-ins at locations that might be related to your investigations and view photos and other intelligence information related to their operations. 44 The Humane Society of the United States Identifying your suspect online if they are using an alias can be challenging if you don’t know the street name, nickname or kennel name the suspect goes by. However, many will identify themselves by geographic location, pictures of dogs and their yard set-up. They might even share phone numbers or email addresses that can aid you in identifying them. The HSUS is heavily involved in internet investigations of those engaged in animal fighting. Please feel free to reach out to the investigators listed in appendix VI for guidance on these types of investigations. Dealing with street dogfighting As noted earlier, street dogfighters present particular difficulties because they readily disperse if law enforcement officers arrive on the scene. Street fighting is often unplanned—rivals may simply encounter one another in a public or private location and allow their dogs to fight for the sake of bragging rights or an impromptu bet. Street fights also occur at common gathering spots, such as schoolyards, parks, and abandoned buildings. Street dogfighting is one highly visible component of neighborhood violence, so effective response requires a community commitment. Law enforcement agents will rarely encounter a street fight in progress unless members of the community report it as soon as it seems to be starting. People won’t report it if they feel there will be no response. Effective measures against street fighting require the coordination of local police, animal care and control agencies and community groups. Even if street fighters are not caught in the act, residents might be willing and able to identify participants who may be in violation of one or more local ordinances. Confiscation, identification and ultimate disposition of fighting dogs In the past, some law enforcement agencies concentrated solely on the arrest of dogfighters Specialized cases
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