States Debate Hog-Dog Rodeo Bans
by Mat Thomas, In Defense of Animals
In these cruel competitions, dogs (most often pit bulls) are set upon a captured wild pig in a small pen from which there is no escape. The feral hog's tusks are amputated, usually with bolt cutters, rendering him defenseless and vulnerable. One at a time, the dogs attack the pig to see which one can pin their "prey" down the fastest. The dogs are trained to viciously assault the pig with their powerful jaws, sinking their sharp teeth into his flesh, perhaps tearing off a piece of the pig's tail, ear or snout. Meanwhile, a crowd of spectators – often including families with children – cheer and root for the dogs they've placed bets on. The pig may be attacked by as many as ten dogs as each one is given their turn, but in the end, the pig always loses the contest.
"Hog dogging" originated as an extension of hunting pigs in the wild using trained attack dogs. In fact, those who hold hog-dog rodeos claim that they are "field trials" to train their dogs to hunt pigs in the woods. Many farmers blame feral hogs for eating and trampling their crops, so wild pigs are considered nuisance animals in most rural areas where they live. Pig hunting is therefore seen as a means of controlling a non-native species that threatens the livelihood of hard-working people and the state's overall economic health. Consequently, many states have no established regulations on pig hunting, so hunters can legally capture and kill them throughout the year and without restraint, essentially inviting abusive treatment.
Hog-dog rodeo events have been documented in ten southern states in the U.S. Mississippi and Alabama both recently passed legislation to outlaw hog dogging, and three more states – Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina – are currently considering bills to ban the cruel activity. In addition, the Attorney Generals of Texas and Florida have stated that hog-dog rodeos are in direct violation of their states' animal cruelty laws. Efforts to ban blood sports and increase penalties for those who engage in them are a sign that the general public and lawmakers are becoming increasingly intolerant of such cruel and petty amusements as physically pitting animals against one another in deadly competition.
What You Can Do:
- If you live in Tennessee, Georgia or South Carolina, please urge your elected officials to support the efforts to ban hog-dog rodeos in your state. You can get contact information for your legislators online by visiting http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html and entering your zip code.
- Click http://tinyurl.com/7nkre to see video footage of a hog-dog rodeo. Be aware that the footage is graphic.
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