Oregon legislators sent a strong message to those who participate in dogfighting with the passage Senate Bill 1072, a piece of legislature that will make being a knowing spectator of a dogfight a class C felony in the state. A class C felony conviction carries a fine of $125,000, a five-year prison sentence, or both. The bill was sponsored by Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem) and was passed during a special supplementary session in February.
“Dogfighting is a despicable and indefensible practice,” says Kelly Peterson, Oregon state director for HSUS. “Spectators finance dogfights through admission fees and gambling, and Oregon’s law was deficient in handling these people who cheer and enable this cruelty.”
Although watching dogfighting doesn’t carry the same notoriety as training dogs to fight, spectators enable the “sport” to make a profit. Under the previous law, spectators weren’t held accountable for viewing a fight. The new law differentiates between people who purposefully view dog fights and those who accidentally come across one. The bill makes advertising dogfighting equipment and possessing dogfighting paraphernalia class C felonies as well.
“Oregon has some of the toughest animal-cruelty laws in the nation,” says Sharon Harmon, executive director of the Oregon Humane Society. “This bill is one more step in demonstrating compassion for those who can’t speak for themselves.”Portland Tails Magazine – April 2008
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