Elton Gallegly: new crackdown on animal cruelty
Rep. Elton Gallegly is continuing his work fighting animal cruelty, introducing new legislation today banning dog fighting as well as any tools associated with it, while also allowing private citizens to sue anyone alleged to be in violation the law.
The bill comes on the heels of the Animal Prohibition Enforcement Act, another Gallegly bill that President Bush signed into law in May. That measure made it a felony to transport an animal across state lines for the purpose of fighting.
Under the new measure, dog fighters would face up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine. Gallegly on Thursday said the bill aims at penalizing spectators as well as those involved in the fight trade, and removing economic incentives.
"Other crimes often go hand-in-hand with animal fighting, including illegal gambling and drug trafficking," Gallegly said. "In the last six months, virtually every reported arrest at an animal fight also led to additional arrests for at least one of these criminal activities."