A network of cruelty

The BBC’s powerful investigation into the hidden world of dog fighting reveals a network spanning the globe and connecting with dog fighters in the UK.

Based on a two-year intelligence operation by the League Against Cruel Sports we delivered a dossier to the BBC on this dog fighting network which spans at least 29 countries. It’s the culmination of two years of detailed, painstaking work for us.

Our best guess is there could be tens of thousands of dogs trapped in dog fighting worldwide. That’s tens of thousands of opportunities to expose these people and to call for justice for the animals. Whilst dog fighters go to great lengths to keep their awful activities hidden, members of the public can make a real difference by sharing their suspicions about the people involved. And that’s exactly where all of this started – a concerned member of the public shared their suspicions with the League’s Animal Crimewatch  and triggered our intelligence gathering operation which uncovered this major dog fighting network.

Since the BBC aired their investigation, we’ve had thousands of messages of support from members of the public who’re shocked and sickened at how dog fighters reach out to each other across national and international boundaries to ply their evil trade. Sadly, it comes as no surprise how callous they are as they force dogs to fight, again and again so they can watch appalling injuries being inflicted without a shred of compassion.

Everyone can play a part in protecting man’s best friend. That’s why it’s so important we work together to raise awareness of dog fighting in the UK. I hope the BBC’s investigation will encourage more people to come forward with information about the people involved. The League’s professional investigators have the skills to uncover what’s happening and protect the identity of the people that help us: be confident that by working together we can tackle the dog fighters.

So, to the person who started all of this off with a simple email to our Animal Crimewatch – a huge thank you, from the League, from our investigators and from the public as we work together to raise awareness of dog fighting and call for the toughest possible penalties.

And of course, we’d like to thank the BBC for revealing what’s going on. 

More information about the League’s work to tackling dog fighting can be found on our website together with a range of helpful resources for veterinary clinics, rescue centres and the police.

If you have suspicions about people that may be involved in dog fighting, please email our Animal Crimewatch service at crimewatch@league.org.uk or call 01483 361 108. The information you provide is strictly confidential.