OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 4, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Animals and Wildlife Criminal Justice

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I recognize that the hour is late. I wish to take a very brief moment to thank my colleagues, beginning with Senator Kirk and Senator Brown--my distinguished colleagues from Illinois and Massachusetts--who have done such great work on this measure over many months, as well as Senator Cantwell of Washington and other colleagues who have cosponsored this measure, including Senators Collins, Feinstein, Gillibrand, Kerry, Landrieu, Merkley, Mikulski, Murray, Vitter, and Wyden. They are all tireless advocates for animals.

This bill is about ending animal fighting which, plainly and simply, is a blood sport. It is cruel and inhumane. It leaves animals scarred and disabled. And, it is associated with many other criminal activities. People who attend animal fights are often also engaged in drug dealing, extortion, assault, and a variety of other crimes, and the enabling activity is animal fighting.

That is why this bill increases the penalties for knowingly attending an animal fight with a child and, indeed, makes it a crime to knowingly attend an animal fight. These stricter penalties are contingent upon a purposeful support for this cruel and inhumane sport.

Very simply, this legislation provides new tools to law enforcement for eliminating not only animal fighting, but also the activities that may be attendant to them.

Animal fighting is a Federal matter, and it requires a Federal response. This is particularly important because an animal fighting ring often involves players from many different States. Under current law, a county sheriff or a local prosecutor simply lacks the authority to root out, apprehend, and effectively prosecute such an operation.

This bill has the support of many law enforcement organizations whom I thank, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and Fraternal Order of Police. County sheriffs from across the country have also signed on as supporters, along with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society of the United States. I hope it will have support from this Chamber.

Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote.

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