Animal Cruelty

Animal Fighting: Cockfighting, Dogfighting, and Welfare

Animal fighting sports cause extreme suffering and remain practiced globally; efforts to end them face cultural, economic, and political barriers.

Key Facts

Dogfighting is illegal in all 50 US states but still widespread
Cockfighting remains legal in several countries and some US territories
Fought animals sustain severe injuries including broken bones and lacerations
Animals used for fighting are often also victims of abuse in training

Welfare Considerations

Animal fighting causes extreme acute suffering through wounds, exhaustion, and death. Training animals for fighting involves deliberate desensitization through abuse and deprivation. Animals rescued from fighting operations often carry deep physical and psychological trauma requiring months of rehabilitation.

What You Can Do

Report suspected animal fighting operations to law enforcement
Support legislation to make cockfighting illegal universally
Donate to organizations rescuing and rehabilitating fighting animals
Never attend or support animal fighting events in any form