July 16, 2009
     

Arizona Humane Society lauds efforts of Arizona Governor and Lawmakers on behalf of animals

The Arizona Humane Society fully supports Governor Jan Brewer's signing into law Senate Bill (SB) 1115, which addresses animal fighting and horse tripping and the offense of dog fighting, the presence at a dog fight and theft of a dog for the purpose of fighting to all animals as a class, according to Executive Director Guy Collison.

"While much attention is given to dog fighting, we are pleased to see our state's elected officials recognize that other animals also are forced to participate in cruel and vicious blood sports," Collison said. "Hopefully this law will help deter individuals from participating in cockfighting, dog fighting and other illegal activities involving fighting among animals for entertainment or sport."

SB 1115 also defines equine tripping, the offense of knowingly or intentionally tripping an equine for sport or entertainment, and classifies it as a class 1 misdemeanor. First time offenders of this section can be sentenced to 48 hours in jail and must pay a fine of $1,000, with the jail time and fines increasing with each offense.

Much like dog and cock fighting, horse tripping primarily takes place in secretive venues, making it hard to detect. In many cases, participants use a wire, pole, stick, rope or any other object to cause an equine to lose his balance or fall. The bill applies to horses, ponies, mules and donkeys.

The Arizona Humane Society has not seen cases of horse tripping in the Phoenix area. However, that does not mean it is taking place, only that its "underground" nature makes it difficult to uncover.

"Intentionally causing an animal to fall which can result in broken bones and other health concerns is unfathomable," said Collison. "Passing this bill into law is a good act on behalf of all the animals in Arizona and will raise vitally important awareness of the potentially deadly outcomes.  We encourage anyone with knowledge or information about these activities to notify the appropriate authorities at once."



About Arizona Humane Society
Founded in 1957, the Arizona Humane Society is the state’s largest nonprofit animal welfare and protection agency. The mission of AHS is to improve the lives of animals, alleviate their suffering, and elevate their status in society.

Contacts
Kimberly Searles, Communication Manager
Ashliegh Goebel, Public Information Specialist