Dog fighting is a type of blood sport that turns game and fighting dogs against each other in a physical fight, often to the death, for the purposes of gambling or entertainment to the spectators. In rural areas, fights are often staged in barns or outdoor pits; in urban areas, fights are often staged in garages, basements, warehouses, alleyways, abandoned buildings, neighborhood playgrounds, or in the streets. Dog fights usually last until one dog is declared a winner, which occurs when one dog fails to scratch, dies, or jumps out of the pit. Sometimes dog fights end without declaring a winner; for instance, the dog's owner may call the fight.
164-553: Dog fighting in the United States is an activity in which fights between two game dogs are staged as a form of entertainment and gambling . Such activity has existed since the early 19th century in the United States and was gradually prohibited in all states. It continues as an underground activity in both rural and urban locations. In the late 20th century, police and animal control law enforcement task forces, primarily of local and state authorities, were formed in many parts of
328-400: A "representative". This means that for any FOIA request that by its nature appears as if it might have been made by or on behalf of a non-U.S. governmental entity, a covered agency may inquire into the particular circumstances of the requester in order to properly implement this new FOIA provision. The agencies affected by this amendment are those that are part of, or contain "an element of",
492-512: A 21-month federal sentence. In 2009, Ed Faron was sentenced for six months for running the largest-known dog-fighting ring in the United States, called Wildside Kennels. According to a study by the Michigan State University College of Law published in 2005, in the United States, dog fighting was once completely legal and was sanctioned and promoted during the colonial period (17th century through 1776) and continuing through
656-568: A FOIA request with the U.S. Attorney General and the FBI requesting copies of all their documents relating to the role of former FBI Director L. Patrick Gray in the Watergate scandal . The FBI had over 5,000 pending FOIA requests at the time and did not respond within the statutory 20-day limit. Open America sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , and the court issued an order commanding
820-465: A Federal grand jury for "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting venture". They faced $ 350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the Federal felony and misdemeanor charges. Dog fighting Dog fighting generates revenue from stud fees, admission fees and gambling . Most countries have banned dog fighting, but it
984-453: A clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong. In addition to the fate which awaits fighters or even dogs likely to become fighters, often "bait" animals are used to test a dog's fighting instinct, with the use of "Adoption Wanted" or "Good Home Needed" posters to track their bait, which
1148-721: A common winter weekend pastime, especially in Kabul , where the fights are public and often policed to maintain safety to the spectators. Dogs are not fought to the death, but to submission. Dog fighting has been legal in Albania for over 25 years in professional fights . Article 3.8 of Law 14.346 on the Ill-Treatment and Acts of Cruelty to Animals of 1954 explicitly prohibits 'carrying out public or private acts of animal fights, fights of bulls and heifers, or parodies [thereof], in which animals are killed, wounded or harassed.' Dog fighting and
1312-549: A complaint from a neighbor that one of the dogs had died, he found the dead dog in a trash can. The others had no food, no clean water, and no adequate shelter. Jody Jones, program manager of Richmond Animal Care and Control, said in court that the case produced more dogs euthanized than any other case she knows of from her 15-year career in animal control. Following the seizure of a large number of dogs in an April 2007 dog fighting case in Mississippi , Tara High, executive director of
1476-407: A concern for children who are routinely exposed to dog fighting and are forced to accept the inherent violence as normal. The routine exposure of the children to unfettered animal abuse and neglect is a major contributing factor in their later manifestation of social deviance. Animal advocates consider dog fighting to be one of the most serious forms of animal abuse , not only for the violence that
1640-513: A dog fight a felony. The law provides a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment and up to a $ 250,000 fine for each offense of interstate or foreign transport of animals for fighting purposes. Using the provisions of the new law, which took effect immediately, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is pursuing cases in a number of locations around
1804-446: A dozen of his dogs had to be euthanized, either because of serious illness, injury or malnutrition, or because their training as fighting dogs made them too dangerous for adoption. Until 2006, the man had kept 16 pit bulls in the backyard of his house, confined with heavy chains used for automobile towing. Experts say chaining the animals is a dogfighting technique for building strength. When an animal control officer arrived in response to
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#17328476245101968-437: A fighting dog a felony. While dog fighting was previously seen as isolated animal welfare issues — and therefore rarely enforced, the last decade has produced a growing body of legal and empirical evidence that has revealed a connection between dog fighting and other crimes within a community, such as organized crime, racketeering, drug distribution, and/or gangs. Within the gang community, fighting dogs compete with firearms as
2132-451: A five-year operation of an interstate dog fighting ring which called itself " Bad Newz Kennels " and had been based at Vick's property. No one was named individually in the July 2 court papers. WAVY-TV ( Portsmouth, Virginia ) posted a copy of one of the Federal court document from July 2, and has made it available online. On July 17, Vick and three men described as his employees were indicted by
2296-607: A large, low, heavy breed with a powerful build, strongly developed head, and tremendously threatening voice. Additionally, these foundation breeds were also bred for a powerful jaw that would enable them to defend and protect humans, to overpower and pull down large animals on a hunt, and to control large, unmanageable domestic animals. These dogs were also sometimes equipped with metal plates, chains, and collars with sharp spikes or hooked knives in order to be used in wars throughout history. When bull-baiting became popular in England due to
2460-466: A man can gain honor and status in his society. Yet, working class occupations, unlike middle or upper class occupations, provide limited opportunities to validate this culturally accepted definition of masculinity. So, working class men look for alternative ways to validate their masculinity and obtain honor and status. One way to do this is through dog fighting. This is supported by the Evans, et al. findings:
2624-412: A minor to a fight." Even though it is illegal, dog fighting still occurs across the globe. To combat dog fighting and curb ownership of "dangerous dogs," Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has been passed in some countries, as well as in some local and regional jurisdictions. However, opponents argue that BSL affects responsible pet owners more than those who keep dogs for fighting purposes. In May 2007,
2788-460: A misdemeanor; since 2014 and after a legal reform, they became a felony and are punished with up to three years of imprisonment. Dog fighting is prevalent in some parts of India, particularly in the state of Haryana . The practice is illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. According to historical documents, Hōjō Takatoki , the 14th shikken ( shōgun ' s regent) of
2952-586: A more powerful jaw. These efforts resulted in the Old English Bulldog . However, when countries started outlawing bull- and bear-baiting, dog fighters started pitting dogs against other dogs. With the prevalence of such combat, dog fighters soon realized Bulldogs were inadequate and began to breed Bulldogs with terriers for more desired characteristics. Terriers were most likely crossbred with Bulldogs due to their "generally rugged body structure", speed, aggression, and "highly developed gameness". Yet, there
3116-413: A national or even international level within highly secret networks. When a dog is not successful in a fight, a professional may dispose of it using a variety of techniques such as drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method. Sometimes professionals and hobbyists dispose of dogs deemed aggressive to humans to street fighters. Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states of
3280-452: A new Federal law went into effect making interstate dog fighting activities felonious and providing for imprisonment and imposition of large fines. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act , a new Federal law sponsored by US Senators Arlen Specter ( D - PA. ), Dianne Feinstein (D- CA. ), and John Ensign ( R - NV. ), was enacted by the U.S. Congress earlier in 2007 and signed by President George W. Bush on May 3, making organizing
3444-580: A normal pit bull fighting ring has at least 30 people involved. Someone keeps the fights going." This crackdown has also resulted in longer sentences for dogfighting. In South Carolina, David Tant , breeder of fighting dogs, is serving a 30-year sentence, among the stiffest ever imposed for the crime. Tant, 63, formerly of the Charleston area, pleaded guilty in November 2004 to more than 40 counts of illegally breeding fighting dogs, and one assault count connected to
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#17328476245103608-639: A number of bear gardens in London. The garden buildings were round and roofless, and housed not only bears, but also bulls and other wild animals that could be used in a fight. Today, a person can visit the Bear Garden Museum near the Shakespeare Global Complex in Bankside, Southwark. With the popularity of bull- and bear-baiting, bears needed for such fights soon became scarce. With the scarcity of
3772-474: A popular source of entertainment for the British royalty. For instance, Queen Elizabeth I , who reigned from 1558 to 1603, was an avid follower of bull- and bear-baiting; she bred Mastiffs for baiting and would entertain foreign guests with a fight whenever they visited England. In addition to breeding Mastiffs and entertaining foreign guests with a fight, Queen Elizabeth, and later her successor, King James I, built
3936-644: A possible 100 points. Eight of the ten earned Ds, including the Department of Homeland Security (69 percent), Department of Transportation (68 percent), United States Department of the Treasury (Treasury) (68 percent), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (67 percent), the United States Department of Labor (63 percent), the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (64 percent),
4100-609: A professional football player with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and a dog breeder. The property is located in southeastern Surry County a few miles northwest of the Isle of Wight County town of Smithfield. The original search began following several narcotics arrests of 26-year-old Davon T. Boddie, Vick's cousin and cook, who had given authorities the address of Vick's property at 1915 Moonlight Road, Surry, Virginia as his home address when he
4264-434: A provision making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child under the age of 16 to an animal fighting event[.]" "The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act would make it a federal offense to knowingly attend an organized animal fight and would impose additional penalties for bringing children to animal fights. Violators would face up to one year in prison for attending a fight, and up to three years in prison for bringing
4428-527: A refusal to do so is justified by one of the Act's specific, exclusive exemptions. Especially where, as here, an agency's responses to a request for information have been tardy and grudging, courts should be sure they do not abdicate their own duty. In 2015, the Center for Effective Government analyzed 15 federal agencies which receive the most FOIA requests in-depth. The organization used a scale considering three factors:
4592-579: A spokesman for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, which in 2004 created a dogfighting task force. In Chicago, Illinois , a special police unit is devoted to investigating cases of abuse due to the connection between dog fighting and other gang crimes. In 2005, the police in Los Angeles, California formed an Animal Cruelty Task Force, leading to prosecutions of gang members there for animal abuse. Among those linked to dog fighting
4756-399: A street fight, the dogs are often discovered by police and animal control officers either dead or dying. Due to the spontaneity and secrecy of a street fight, they are very difficult to respond to unless reported immediately. Hobbyists and professionals often decry the techniques that street fighters use to train their dogs. Such techniques include starving, drugging, and physically abusing
4920-428: A surveyor who was wounded by a booby trap after he wandered onto Tant's property in southern Charleston County. The surveyor was showered by an explosion of birdshot, injuring him slightly. The device was described as a "directional mine" meant to ward off intruders. "Fat Bill" Reynolds of Henry County, Virginia near Martinsville , publisher of American Gamedog Times , a dog fighting magazine with an Internet website,
5084-699: A suspected dog fighter in Texas bled to death after he was shot by intruders who apparently intended to torture him into revealing where he had hidden $ 100,000 wagered in a high-stakes dog match. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that an analysis during a study by the College of Law at Michigan State University found that, in more than two dozen raids on dogfights, in virtually every instance police also seized illegal narcotics and weapons. Police seized $ 250,000 in cash during another 2004 raid in Covington, Georgia . "Law enforcement
Dog fighting in the United States - Misplaced Pages Continue
5248-432: A symbol of manhood... and by winning, the dogs build up their owners' ego. They see it as a valid, legitimate sport that is no worse than boxing or football." Rap and other similar music also seem to glorify dog fighting. Jay-Z shows dogs being prepared for a fight in the uncensored version of his music video, " 99 Problems ". A pit bull is on the cover of a CD by rapper DMX that is titled Grand Champ . "Grand Champ"
5412-467: A tremendous amount of money charging stud fees to breed their champions, in addition to the fees and winnings they collect for fighting them. They also tend to own a large number of dogs — sometimes 50 or more. Professionals also use trade journals, such as Your Friend and Mine , Game Dog Times , The American Warrior , and The Pit Bull Chronicle , to discuss recent fights and to advertise the sale of training equipment and puppies. Some fighters operate on
5576-403: A two-week period. Authorities found pit bulls — dead and alive — as well as "dogfighting kits", which include harnesses, muzzles, pre-fight training guides, stacks of breeding papers, and even videos on dogfighting. "We have been back to the same house three different times, and each time we pull out more and more dogs," said Animal Control Officer Andrew Kleinfelder. "Even when someone is arrested,
5740-419: A violation, which ultimately leads to a fine. States surrounding New York like New Jersey and Connecticut passed a bill, stated that attendance at an animal fight is indeed a felony charge. Due to a loophole it is legal in 49 out of 50 states to possess dogs for fighting. The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act closed the loophole that allowed people to knowingly attend dogfighting events. In all states, it
5904-600: Is Doug Atkins an NFL player who was an enthusiastic participator in dog fighting, and LeShon Johnson , a former NFL running back who received a five-year deferred sentence in 2005 after officials seized 200 dogs during a raid of his dog fighting operation that led to 20 people being convicted in Oklahoma . Former National Basketball Association forward Qyntel Woods , pleaded guilty to animal abuse in 2005 at his home in Portland, Oregon . Former Dallas Cowboys lineman Nate Newton
6068-527: Is a debate over which type of terrier was bred with Bulldogs in order to create the bull and terrier. For instance, Joseph L. Colby claimed that it was the old English White Terrier that the bull and terrier is descended from, while Rhonda D. Evans and Craig J. Forsyth contend that its ancestor is the Rat Terrier. Carl Semencic, on the other hand, held that a variety of terriers produced the bull and terrier. Eventually, out of crossbreeding Bulldogs and terriers,
6232-538: Is a sociologist and associate professor in the department of criminal justice at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who has published four academic articles on dog fighting. She stated in a story published by the Palm Beach Post that she had found that owners of high-dollar fighting dogs spanned all walks of life and social classes, with a common link of "a machismo mentality." Evans said "For them, tough dogs are
6396-475: Is against the law (and often a felony) even to attend a dog fighting event, regardless of direct participation. According to authorities, dog fighting is increasingly practiced by gangs, and is linked to other unlawful activities, such as illegal gambling. On February 7, 2014 President Obama signed the Farm Bill which contained the U.S. H.R. 366/S. 666—Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act. "The final bill includes
6560-459: Is banned, the Dogo Argentino has become the main fighting dog of choice, being used at both organized and street level dogfighting. In the 21st century, dog fighting has become an objectionable and unlawful activity in most places broad categories, and each have motivated constituencies in many areas. Dog fighting is often considered one of the most serious forms of animal abuse , not only for
6724-464: Is charged and convicted of dog fighting, "then you're putting him behind bars for no reason. I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property. It's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it." Those comments were sharply criticized by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell . The Redskins and Portis himself later apologized, stating that his controversial remarks about dog fighting were insensitive and that he now realizes he "shouldn't have made
Dog fighting in the United States - Misplaced Pages Continue
6888-544: Is government "redaction" of certain passages deemed applicable to the Exemption section of the FOIA. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officers in charge of responding to FOIA requests "so heavily redacted the released records as to preclude needed research." This has also brought into question just how one can verify that they have been given complete records in response to a request. This trend of unwillingness to release records
7052-470: Is illegal throughout the entire European Union and most of South America . The American Pit Bull Terrier is by far the most common breed involved in the blood sport. The Dogo Cubano and Córdoba Fighting Dog were used for fighting a century ago, but both of these breeds have become extinct. Previously banned by the Taliban during their rule, dog fighting has made a resurgence throughout Afghanistan as
7216-747: Is native to Kōchi. Dog fighting is illegal throughout the European Union . In 2019, an investigation by Hidden-in-Sight for the League Against Cruel Sports and the BBC highlighted a global trade in fighting dogs centered in Bulgaria. Subsequently, in April, a raid took place where 58 people were arrested at the site of two fighting pits. In October 2018, Vice.Gr released an exposé into dog fighting in Greece and
7380-576: Is not cool nor is it a sign of strength. Real fighters stand up for what is right to protect those less able to do so. Show your strength and join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting." Mixed Martial Arts Champion Rob McCullough : "I choose to fight, but a lot of dogs don't get that choice. Knock Out Dog Fighting...cuz dog fighting is not cool." In recent times, a combination of animal rights groups and law enforcement agencies have drawn new attention to dog fighting and related criminal activities in
7544-742: Is not specifically identified as requiring continued secrecy. The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , signed into law in July 2010, included provisions in section 929I that shielded the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The provisions were initially motivated out of concern that the FOIA would hinder SEC investigations that involved trade secrets of financial companies, including "watch lists" they gathered about other companies, trading records of investment managers, and "trading algorithms" used by investment firms. In September 2010,
7708-713: Is realizing it's a real community problem, intertwined with other crimes such as drugs and gambling," John Goodwin, an official with the Humane Society stated in an interview for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaper published in June 2007. Many communities in widespread areas across the United States are aggressively targeting dog fighting by coordinating local and regional dog fighting task forces. "It's clear that when you have dogfighting, drugs and gambling and other criminal subcultures follow," according to Mark Plowden,
7872-405: Is said to be a reference to a dog that has won five dogfights. Madison Avenue advertising firms have capitalized on the same theme. When Nike was criticized about an ad featuring a growling pit bull and Rottweiler about to face off, the company denied the ad encourages dog fighting. The representative went on to state, however, "People have to understand the youth culture we cater to. Our market
8036-449: Is stated "The law stipulates penalties of up to one year imprisonment and a fine of KD 1,000 for anyone who abuses, neglects or offers animals for sale ". Dog fighting became illegal in Mexico on June 24, 2017. Some breeds of dog previously imported from France on the black market are now illegal. However, dogfighting as an activity has not been specifically banned. In accordance with
8200-554: Is still legal in some countries, such as Honduras , Japan , and Albania . The sport is also popular in Russia . Blood sports in general can be traced back to the Roman Empire . In 13 BC, for instance, the ancient Roman circus slew 600 African beasts. Dog fighting, more specifically, can also be traced to ancient Roman times. In AD 43, for example, dogs fought alongside the Romans and
8364-406: Is the urban, edgy, hip-hop culture." International Boxing Federation Champion Steve Cunningham : "Dogs are truly man's best friend. Yet some people take advantage of their loyalty by forcing them into dog fighting. It's disgusting and a heinous thing to do. It must be stopped. So join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting." Mixed Martial Arts Champion Tito Ortiz : "Animal abuse happens every day in
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#17328476245108528-723: Is used in the training for these "fighters". The bait is mauled or killed in the process. Often, bait animals are stolen pets, as officials with the Sheriff's Department in Pima County, Arizona say they were shocked to discover a few years ago, according to a story by National Geographic News . According to news reports compiled by the National Humane Society, the muzzles of bait dogs are wrapped with duct tape to prevent them from injuring dogs being trained for fighting. Some bait animals have been recovered with their teeth ground down to
8692-630: The Federal Register , 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(1)(C), and to make available for public inspection and copying their opinions, statements of policy, interpretations, and staff manuals and instructions that are not already published in the Federal Register , § 552(a)(2). In addition, § 552(a)(3) requires every agency, "upon any request for records which ... reasonably describes such records" to make such records "promptly available to any person." By § 552(a)(4)(B) if an agency improperly withholds any documents,
8856-738: The 111th Congress passed an act repealing those provisions. The act was introduced in the Senate on August 5, 2010 as S.3717 and given the name "A bill to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , the Investment Company Act of 1940 , and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to provide for certain disclosures under section 552 of title 5, United States Code, (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act), and for other purposes." A major issue in released documentation
9020-611: The Animal Welfare Act 1999 , dog fighting is illegal within New Zealand. Breeding, training or owning dogs for fighting is also illegal. Freedom of Information Act (United States) The Freedom of Information Act ( FOIA / ˈ f ɔɪ j ə / FOY -yə ), 5 U.S.C. § 552 , is the United States federal freedom of information law that requires the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased or uncirculated information and documents controlled by
9184-455: The Cold War and other historical events to be discussed openly. The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (E-FOIA) stated that all agencies are required by statute to make certain types of records, created by the agency on or after November 1, 1996, available electronically. Agencies must also provide electronic reading rooms for citizens to use to have access to records. Given
9348-482: The Colosseum , as well as for use in times of war. While spectators watched, the imported English Mastiffs were pitted against animals such as elephants, lions, bears and bulls, and also against gladiators. Later, the Romans bred and exported fighting dogs to Spain, France and other parts of Europe until eventually these dogs made their way back to England. Though bull-baiting and bear-baiting were popular throughout
9512-655: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , the Department of Health and Human Services , the SEC, the DOJ, and the EPA, even decreased marginally. Since 2020, election officials across the U.S. have reported an overwhelming increase in records requests from apparent election deniers attempting to disrupt the functioning of local and county election offices. Often unreasonably broad, repetitive, or based on misinformation,
9676-561: The Kamakura shogunate was known to be obsessed with dog fighting, to the point where he allowed his samurai to pay taxes with dogs. During this period, dog fighting was known as inuawase ( 犬合わせ ) . Dog fighting was considered a way for the samurai to retain their aggressive edge during peaceful times. Several daimyōs (feudal lords), such as Chōsokabe Motochika and Yamauchi Yōdō , both from Tosa Province (present-day Kōchi Prefecture ), were known to encourage dog fighting. Dog fighting
9840-760: The Marine Corps , the FBI, the Department of the Treasury , the Department of Energy , and the Coast Guard , the Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in the Department of State, and "such other elements of any other department or agency as may be designated by the President, or designated jointly by the Director of Central Intelligence and the head of the department or agency concerned, as an element of
10004-682: The Office of Legal Counsel Antonin Scalia advised the bill was unconstitutional and even telephoned the CIA asking them to lobby a particular White House staffer. President Ford was persuaded to veto the bill on October 17, 1974, according to documents declassified in 2004. However, on November 21, the lame-duck Congress overrode President Ford's veto, giving the United States the core Freedom of Information Act still in effect today, with judicial review of executive secrecy claims. Scalia remained highly critical of
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#173284762451010168-840: The Perro de Presa Canario and the American Pit Bull Terrier . Of these, the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Perro de Presa Canario are the only breeds currently known to exist in Australia and there are strict regulations on keeping these breeds, including a prohibition on transferring ownership. Bolivia passed a law in 2003 or 2004 criminalising dog fighting. In Brazil , Federal Decree 24.645 promulgated in 1934 by president Getúlio Vargas specifically prohibited 'to cause an animal to fight with another'. Additionally, article 32 of
10332-514: The Restoration . Dog fighting, bull-baiting, and bear-baiting were officially outlawed in England by the Humane Act of 1835. The official ban on all fights, however, actually served to promote dog fighting in England. Since a small amount of space was required for the pit where a dog fight took place, as compared to the ring needed for bull- or bear-baiting, authorities had a difficult time enforcing
10496-565: The Tosa . After interviewing 31 dogmen and attending 14 dog fights in the Southern United States, Evans, Gauthier, and Forsyth theorized on what attracts men to dog fights. In their study, Evans, et al., discussed dog fighting's attractiveness in terms of masculinity and class immobility. In the United States, masculinity embodies the qualities of strength, aggression, competition, and striving for success. By embodying these characteristics,
10660-408: The U.S. Postal Service from disclosure of "information of a commercial nature, including trade secrets, whether or not obtained from a person outside the Postal Service, which under good business practice would not be publicly disclosed". A federal court has concisely described the vital role of the FOIA in democracy: It has often been observed that the central purpose of the FOIA is to "open … up
10824-453: The U.S. government upon request. The act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure procedures, and includes nine exemptions that define categories of information not subject to disclosure. The act was intended to make U.S. government agencies' functions more transparent so that the American public could more easily identify problems in government functioning and put pressure on Congress , agency officials, and
10988-404: The United States Department of Defense (61 percent), the Securities and Exchange Commission (61 percent). The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of State earned an F. The State Department's score (37 percent) was dismal due to its extremely low processing score of 23 percent, which was completely out of line with any other agency's performance. Scores of five agencies,
11152-425: The United States of America , the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. While dog fighting statutes exist independently of general anti-cruelty statutes and carry stiffer penalties than general state anti-cruelty statutes, a person can be charged under both or can be charged under one, but not the other — depending on the evidence. In addition to felony charges for dog fighting, 48 states and
11316-458: The White House 's opposition, Congress expanded Section 3 of the APA as a standalone measure in 1966 to further standardize the publication of government records, consistent with the belief that the people have the "right to know" about them. The Privacy Act of 1974 was passed as a countervailing measure to ensure the security of government documents increasingly kept on private citizens. The act explicitly applies only to government agencies under
11480-438: The executive branch . These agencies are required by several mandates to comply with public solicitation of information. Along with making public and accessible all bureaucratic and technical procedures for applying for documents from that agency, agencies are also subject to penalties for hindering the process of a petition for information. According to the act, if "agency personnel acted arbitrarily or capriciously with respect to
11644-417: The president to address them. The FOIA has been changed repeatedly by both the legislative and executive branches. The FOIA is commonly known for being invoked by news organizations for reporting purposes, though such uses make up less than 10% of all requests—which are more frequently made by businesses, law firms, and individuals. As indicated by its long title , the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
11808-888: The "intelligence community". As defined in the National Security Act of 1947 (as amended), they consist of the CIA , the National Security Agency , the Defense Intelligence Agency , the National Imagery and Mapping Agency , the National Reconnaissance Office (and certain other reconnaissance offices within the Department of Defense), the intelligence elements of the Army, the Navy , the Air Force , and
11972-650: The 1974 amendments, writing years later that "It is the Taj Mahal of the Doctrine of Unanticipated Consequences, the Sistine Chapel of Cost-Benefit Analysis Ignored." Scalia particularly disliked the availability of judicial review, decrying that if "an agency denies a freedom of information request, shazam!—the full force of the Third Branch of the government is summoned to the wronged party's assistance." Those amendments to
12136-533: The 90th Congress), repealed the original and put in its place a substantively identical law. This statute was signed on June 5, 1967, and had the same effective date as the original statute: July 4, 1967. Following the Watergate scandal , President Gerald R. Ford wanted to sign FOIA-strengthening amendments in the Privacy Act of 1974 , but White House Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld and deputy Dick Cheney were concerned about leaks. Assistant Attorney General for
12300-856: The Act." In conjunction with the FOIA, the Privacy Act is used to further the rights of an individual gaining access to information held by the government. The Justice Department's Office of Information and Privacy and federal district courts are the two channels of appeal available to seekers of information. In 1976, as part of the Government in the Sunshine Act , Exemption 3 of the FOIA was amended so that several exemptions were specified: Between 1982 and 1995, President Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12356 allowed federal agencies to withhold enormous amounts of information under Exemption 1 (relating to national security information), claiming it would better protect
12464-654: The Balkans. This covered how dog fighting is linked to serious organised group in the country. The piece was advised by Hidden-in-Sight. Dog fighting has been illegal in Ireland for over 150 years, although the sport is still popular in underground circles. Article 62 §h of decree no. 5-2017 – Animal Protection and Welfare Act of Guatemala, enacted in April 2017, explicitly prohibits the promotion of, participation in and organisation of shows that include fighting between dogs. Dog fighting had previously been popular for decades amongst
12628-711: The British in the Roman Conquest of Britain . In this war, the Romans used a breed that originated from Greece called the Molossus ; the Britons used broad-mouthed Mastiffs, which were thought to descend from the Molossus bloodline and which also originated from Greece. Though the British were outnumbered and ultimately lost this war, the Romans were so impressed with the English Mastiffs that they began to import these dogs for use in
12792-480: The Center for Election Innovation & Research found at least 13 states that have sought to protect election staff from the abuse of FOIA requests in several ways, such as creating publicly accessible databases that do not require staff assistance and giving election staff the authority to deny unreasonable or clearly frivolous requests. Starting in 2012, the Federal government job title Government Information Specialist
12956-641: The Clinton Administration appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals , stating that the National Security Council was not truly an agency but a group of aides to the President and thus not subject to FOIA regulations. Under the Presidential Records Act, "FOIA requests for NSC [could] not be filed until five years after the president ha[d] left office ... or twelve years if the records [were] classified." The Clinton administration won, and
13120-412: The District of Columbia have provisions within their dog fighting statutes that explicitly prohibit attendance as a spectator at a dog fighting exhibition. Since Montana and Hawaii do not have such provisions, a person can pay an entrance fee to watch a dog fight in either state and not be convicted under these statutes. Additionally, 46 states and the District of Columbia make possessing, owning or keeping
13284-865: The English created the Staffordshire Bull Terrier . When the Staffordshire Bull Terrier came to America in 1817, Americans began to selectively breed for gameness and created the American Pit Bull Terrier (originally known as the Pit Bull Terrier), which is a unique breed due to its absence of threat displays when fighting. Bull Terriers , Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers , are all breeds that are commonly labeled as "pit bulls". The fact that pit bulls were historically bred to fight dogs, bulls, and bears has been used as one of
13448-449: The FBI and Office of Information and Privacy put forth "stony resistance" to the FOIA appeal process. A murder trial decided in 1993, Department of Justice v. Landano , 508 U.S. 165 (1993), involved what was alleged to be a felony murder committed during a group burglary by defendant Landano. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the unanimous opinion. "In an effort to support his claim in subsequent state court proceedings that
13612-539: The FBI and the CIA. Second, congressional funding for agency staff to handle FOIA requests is usually far less than the necessary amount to hire sufficient employees. As a result, parties who request information under FOIA often end up filing lawsuits in federal court seeking judicial orders forcing the agencies to comply with their FOIA requests. The first major case of this type was the 1976 case Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force , in which Open America had filed
13776-477: The FBI to either immediately comply with or deny Open America's request. The government appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit , which found that FOIA requests could be categorized into "simple" and "difficult" requests, and that although Open America's request was "difficult", the FBI had been using "due diligence" in responding to it. The court held that because there was no pressing urgency to Open America's request, its lawsuit did not move it to
13940-505: The FBI's claim of confidentiality as being a valid reason to withhold information. "While most individual sources may expect confidentiality, the Government offers no explanation, other than administrative ease, why that expectation always should be presumed." Thus, when Theoharis and company were in the middle of fighting in court to obtain J. Edgar Hoover files, they may well have benefited from Landano and also Janet Reno 's assertions of
14104-715: The FOIA (pertaining mainly to intelligence agencies) entitled "Prohibition on Compliance with Requests for Information Submitted by Foreign Governments": Section 552(a)(3) of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A) by inserting "and except as provided in subparagraph (E)", after "of this subsection"; and (2) by adding at the end the following: In effect, this new language precluded any covered U.S. intelligence agency from disclosing records in response to FOIA requests made by foreign governments or international governmental organizations. By its terms, it prohibits disclosure in response to requests made by such non-U.S. governmental entities either directly or through
14268-626: The FOIA into law. That law was initially repealed. During the period between the enactment of the act and its effective date, Title 5 of the United States Code was enacted into positive law. For reasons now unclear but which may have had to do with the way the enactment of Title 5 changed how the law being amended was supposed to be cited, the original Freedom of Information Act was replaced. A new act in Pub. L. 90–23 , 81 Stat. 54 , enacted June 5, 1967 (originally H.R. 5357 in
14432-422: The FOIA regulate government control of documents that concern a citizen. They give one "(1) the right to see records about [one]self, subject to the Privacy Act's exemptions, (2) the right to amend that record if it is inaccurate, irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete, and (3) the right to sue the government for violations of the statute including permitting others to see [one's] records unless specifically permitted by
14596-620: The Federal Environmental Crimes Law (9.605 of 12 February 1998) prohibits abuse and cruelty against animals under the penalty of imprisonment from three months to one year, and a fine. Dog fighting has been illegal in Canada since 1892; however, the current law requires police to catch individuals during the unlawful act, which is often difficult. Dog fighting is allowed under Chinese law, although gambling remains illegal . In Costa Rica , dog fights were illegal for decades as
14760-595: The Honduran National Congress approved the Animal Welfare Act which banned the use and ownership of fighting dogs. Anyone found subjecting a dog to, assisting in the management or organization of any form of dog fight training, matches or breeding programs can be imprisoned for 3–6 years. Honduras Bans Use Of Animals In Circuses And Dog Fighting Dog fighting became illegal in Kuwait as well as animal abuse as
14924-413: The Humane Society of South Mississippi, said "[t]he reality is that they've been used for entertainment. It's quite tragic for those of us that are kind of left to deal with it and the reality that these animals aren't going to be able to be rehabilitated." High compared the animals to "a loaded weapon. And not something we feel very comfortable letting out into the community." For many years, even after it
15088-627: The Middle Ages up to the 19th century in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, the British pitted dogs against bulls and bears. In 12th century England during the feudal era, the landed aristocracy, who held direct military control in decentralized feudal systems and thus owned the animals necessary for waging war, introduced bull baiting and bear baiting to the rest of the British population. In later years, bull-baiting and bear-baiting became
15252-616: The Mississippi and Ohio railroads advertised special fares to a dog fight in Louisville; public forums such as Kit Burns' Tavern, "The Sportman's Hall", in Manhattan regularly hosted matches. Many of these dogs thrown into the "professional pits" that flourished during the 1860s came from England and Ireland — where citizens had turned to dogs when bull-baiting and bear-baiting became illegal in their countries. In 20th century America, despite
15416-509: The National Illegal Animal Fighting Task Force for the Humane Society of the United States, offered the statement "I think every state has a problem with it, whether they know it or not." After a life of training as a fighting dog, if a dog does not suffer its death while in such service, it is often euthanized. In Richmond, Virginia , when a dog fighter was sentenced in June 2007, it was revealed in court that over
15580-851: The National Security Archive was not granted a writ of certiorari by the Supreme Court on these grounds. According to Scott Armstrong, taking into account labor and material costs, the three presidential administrations spent almost $ 9.3 million on contesting the National Security Archive FOIA requests for PROFS e-mail records. In 2013, the Associated Press uncovered several federal agencies where staff regularly used fictitious identities and secret or unlisted email accounts to conduct government business. The use of these email accounts stymied FOIA requests. In some cases,
15744-427: The Office the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in ongoing investigations around the country. In April 2007, the illegal activity received widespread attention after evidence surfaced suggesting professional football player Michael Vick had a dog-fighting ring operating on his property. The case resulted in guilty pleas by several individuals and to a single felony count for Vick, who received
15908-748: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), witnessed police involvement in these fights, he was motivated to seek and receive authority for the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents to have arresting power in New York. Additionally, Bergh's 1867 revision to New York's animal cruelty law made all forms of animal fighting illegal. However, According to the ASPCA website, the Humane Law Enforcement department of ASPCA has been disbanded and NYPD has taken over its duty. As laws were passed to outlaw
16072-541: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals came to help take care of the dogs. Property owner Landry was one of 14 people named in a Federal drug trafficking indictment involving activity between Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina . He faces to 43 counts of illegal dog fighting in Harrison County. John Wesley Black and Constance Jean Courtney could spend a minimum of one year in prison per illegal dog fighting charge, and are linked to two dog fighting allegations. Courtney
16236-663: The United States. A story in the New York Daily News published on June 10, 2007, stated "dog fighting is a multi-million-dollar industry that is part of an underground subculture that holds its events in secret locations. It is extremely difficult for authorities to prove who has dogs for fighting purposes." A few weeks later, in Buffalo, New York , police and animal control officers at the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter rescued 15 pit bulls believed to be part of dogfighting activities during
16400-587: The Victorian era in the late 19th century. The early 19th century saw the development in England of the Bull-and-Terrier , first imported into the United States ca. 1817, becoming the foundation stock of the later American Pit Bull Terrier . Organized dog fighting became a part of American culture, and was promoted by the United Kennel Club . As the activity grew in popularity, so too did opposition to it. By
16564-628: The activity, high-profile organizations, such as the United Kennel Club, who once endorsed the sport by formulating rules and sanctioning referees, withdrew their endorsement. On July 8, 2009, one of the largest dog fighting raids in U.S. history occurred. Law enforcement seized over 350 dogs, mostly pit bulls , and arrested 26 people across eight states. Most of the dogs were expected to have to be euthanized, as their harsh upbringing did not prepare them to be able to be safely placed in an adoptive home. According to one scholar, Richard Strebel,
16728-481: The added assertion of government subservience to the individual, some, particularly representative John E. Moss , thought that it was necessary for government information to be available to the public. This push built on existing principles and protocols of government administration already in place. Others, though—most notably President Lyndon B. Johnson —believed that certain types of unclassified government information should nonetheless remain secret. Notwithstanding
16892-423: The aforementioned Michigan State study, Even seasoned law enforcement agents are consistently appalled by the atrocities that they encounter before, during, and after dog fights, yet the children in those communities are routinely exposed to the unfathomable violence that is inherent within the blood sport and become conditioned to believe that the violence is normal. Those children are systematically desensitized to
17056-595: The area was damaged as a result of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he moved to the Harrison County, Mississippi site, located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Interstate 10 . Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) discovered the dogs and the training compound during aerial surveillance relating to an investigation of drug trafficking. Members of the Louisiana Society for
17220-431: The average dog fight could easily net more money than an armed robbery or a series of isolated drug transactions. "Bait" animals are animals used to test a dog's fighting instinct; they are often mauled or killed in the process. Many of the training methods involve torturing and killing of other animals. Often "bait" animals are stolen pets such as puppies, kittens, rabbits, small dogs and even stock (pit bulls acquired by
17384-604: The bait animals are still alive after the training sessions, they are usually given to the dogs as a reward and the dogs finish killing them. Often associated with gang activity, street fighters fight dogs over insults, turf invasions, or simple taunts like "my dog can kill your dog". These type of fights are often spontaneous; unorganized; conducted for money, drugs, or bragging rights; and occur on street corners, back alleys, and neighborhood playgrounds. Urban street fighters generally have several dogs chained in backyards, often behind privacy fences, or in basements or garages. After
17548-513: The ban on dog fighting. In 1817, the bull and terrier crossbreeds were brought to America and dog fighting slowly became part of American culture. Yet, though historical accounts of dog fighting in America can be dated back to the 1750s, it was not until the end of the Civil War (1861–1865) that widespread interest and participation in the blood sport began in the United States. For instance, in 1881,
17712-539: The bear population, the price of bears rose and, because of this, bull-baiting became more common in England over time. Bulls who survived the fights were slaughtered afterwards for their meat, as it was believed that the fight caused bull meat to become more tender. In fact, if a bull was offered for sale in the market without having been baited the previous day, butchers were liable to face substantial fines. Animal fights were temporarily suspended in England when Oliver Cromwell seized power, but were reinstated again after
17876-560: The breed for the same reasons. When I hear about pit bulls being used in dog fighting, it makes me angry. I have a choice to step into the cage to fight, but these dogs have no choice. Dog fighting is morally wrong and inhumane. In my opinion, it's torture. Please join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting." Mixed Martial Arts Champion Cung Le : "Dog fighting is cruel and inhumane and those who engage in it are losers. Show your strength and join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting." Mixed Martial Arts Champion Josh Thomson : "Torturing or abusing animals
18040-412: The clarity of agency rules regarding FOIA requests, quality or 'friendliness' of an agency's FOIA webpage, and the timely, complete manner of processing requests. With this metric, it concluded that federal agencies are struggling to implement public disclosure rules. Using 2012 and 2013 data, the most recent years available, ten of the 15 did not earn satisfactory overall grades, scoring less than 70 out of
18204-415: The comments." He added, "At that time I had no idea the love people have for animals, and I didn't consider it when I made those comments." New York Animal Control Officer Kleinfelder says, "For pro athletes, it's not about the money ... Instead of boxers just beating up on each other, they want to see it go to the death, and with dogs they can let it go that far. To them, dogs are expendable." Rhonda Evans
18368-456: The congressional reports on the Act, so the floor statements provide an indication of Congressional intent. Between 1995 and 1999, President Bill Clinton issued executive directives (and amendments to the directives) that allowed the release of previously classified national security documents more than 25 years old and of historical interest, as part of the FOIA. This release of information allowed many previously publicly unknown details about
18532-640: The continent. The American Pit Bull Terrier is the most popular breed used for fighting, but foreign breeds, such as the Dogo Argentino (used widely in South America), and to a lesser extent, the Presa Canario are also gaining popularity. In Miami-Dade County, Florida , where the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier , and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (or any other dog that substantially conforms to any of these breeds' characteristics)
18696-622: The controversial treatment a dog receives when he has potential as a fighter, according to a filing in U.S. District Court in Richmond by Federal investigators in Virginia, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and published by The Baltimore Sun on July 6, 2007, a losing dog or one whose potential is considered unacceptable faces "being put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging , gun shot, electrocution or some other method". During
18860-548: The country and strengthen national security. The outcry from the effect that the Reagan Order had on FOIA requests was a factor in leading President Clinton to dramatically alter the criteria in 1995. The FOIA amendments were a small part of the bipartisan Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 . Congress amended FOIA to address the fees charged by different categories of requesters and the scope of access to law enforcement and national security records. The amendments are not referenced in
19024-427: The country to combat dog fighting rings, which constituted serious animal welfare violations and had links to organized crime and social problems. In 2007, the U.S. Congress passed a federal law against interstate dog-fighting activities, providing for felony -level penalties including multi-year prison sentences and large fines for each offense; passage of this law was followed by the involvement of Special Agents of
19188-435: The country with considerable support from humane societies and local police departments. The United States Humane Society estimates that more than 40,000 people across the country buy and sell fighting dogs and are involved in dogfighting activities. But authorities say those in dogfighting circles also are involved in a number of other crimes, including narcotics trafficking , illegal gambling and murder . In August 2006,
19352-503: The determination of U.S. House of Representatives member John E. Moss of California , who was chairman of the House Government Information Subcommittee. It took Moss 12 years to get the FOIA through Congress. Much of the desire for government transparency stemmed from the Department of Defense and Congressional committees evaluation of the nation's classification system in the late 1950s. They determined that
19516-426: The district court has jurisdiction to order their production. Unlike the review of other agency action that must be upheld if supported by substantial evidence and not arbitrary or capricious, FOIA expressly places the burden "on the agency to sustain its action," and directs the district courts to "determine the matter de novo." With the ongoing stress on both constitutional and inherent rights of American citizens and
19680-489: The dog fighting ring which appear to be passive or less dominant). Other sources for bait animals include wild or feral animals, animals obtained from a shelter or animals obtained from "free to good home" ads. The snouts of bait animals are often wrapped with duct tape to prevent them from fighting back and they are used in training sessions to improve a dog's endurance, strength or fighting ability. A bait animal's teeth may also be broken to prevent them from fighting back. If
19844-465: The dog. Hobbyists fight dogs for supplemental income and entertainment purposes. They typically have one or more dogs participating in several organized fights and operate primarily within a specific geographic network. Hobbyists are also acquainted with one another and tend to return to predetermined fight venues repeatedly. Professional fighters breed generations of skilled "game dogs" and take great pride in their dogs' lineage. These fighters make
20008-534: The dogs endure during and after the fights, but because of the suffering they often endure in training, which ultimately can lead to death. According to a filing in U.S. District Court in Richmond by federal investigators in Virginia, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and published by The Baltimore Sun on July 6, 2007, a losing dog or one whose potential is considered unacceptable faces "being put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method". Some of
20172-547: The early 20th century, the United Kennel Club dropped its support and by the 1960s most states had made it illegal. It was not until 1976 that it was outlawed in all states and even then, enforcement was generally lax. By the late 20th century, as dog fighting became more popular in the poor areas of major U.S. cities, research and investigations revealed strong links with connected with street gangs and social ills, enforcement efforts increased. Despite legality issues, dogs are still commonly used for fighting purposes all across
20336-555: The eve of President George H. W. Bush 's inauguration, planned to destroy these records. The National Security Archive , Armstrong's association for the preservation of government historical documents, obtained an injunction in Federal District Court against the head, John Fawcett, of the National Archives and Records Administration and the National Security Council's purging of PROFS records. A Temporary Restraining Order
20500-514: The expansion of laws to outlaw dog fighting, dog fighting continued to flourish underground. Aiding in the expansion of dog fighting were the police and firemen, who saw dog fighting as a form of entertainment amongst their ranks. In fact, the Police Gazette served as a go-to source for information about where one could attend a fight. When Henry Bergh , who started the American Society for
20664-942: The following list as composing the foundation of modern fighting dogs: the Tibetan Mastiff, the Molossus , the Bullenbeisser , the Great Dane, the English Mastiff, the Bulldog , the bull and terrier , and the Chincha Bulldog. Other early dog types used for fighting included the Blue Paul Terrier , the Córdoba Fighting Dog , and the Dogo Cubano . The foundation breed of the fighting dog was, in its outward appearance,
20828-480: The form of dog fighting. It's cruel, inhumane, and it needs to be stopped. Show your strength and join me, Tito Ortiz, The Huntington Beach Bad Boy, in Knocking Out Dog Fighting." Mixed Martial Arts Champion Andrei Arlovski : "The pit bull has a long history in America. In the early 1900s, the U.S. proudly used pit bulls on WWI posters to symbolize qualities that make up America - friendly, courageous, hard working and worthy of respect. I chose my name because I admire
20992-917: The foundation for modern fighting dogs came from five dog types : the Tibetan Mastiff , the English Mastiff (out of which came the Dogue de Bordeaux , the Bulldog , and the Pug ), the Great Dane (out of which came the Broholmer and the Boxer ), the Newfoundland , and the Saint Bernard (out of which came the Leonberger ). However, Dieter Fleig disagreed with Strebel and offered
21156-660: The furor arising around the Bad Newz Kennels investigation in Virginia in 2007 and revelations of extreme brutality there, even such diverse notables as hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the Reverend Al Sharpton joined with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in calling for strong stands against animal cruelty, jointly stating: Today, we sound
21320-435: The government demanded exorbitant (greater than $ 1 million) fees for records that appeals showed should be available for minimal cost. The act contains a provision legally requiring agencies to respond to FOIA requests within 20 days, but for two main reasons, many agencies rarely meet this requirement. First, the task of screening requests for sensitive or classified information is often arduous and lengthy at agencies like
21484-408: The government to classify certain specific types of information relevant to national security after it has been requested. That is, a request for information that meets the criteria for availability under FOIA can still be denied if the government determines that the information should have been classified, and unavailable. It also sets a timeline for automatic declassification of old information that
21648-498: The government's need for "greater openness" and "discretionary releases" in 1993. In the case of Scott Armstrong v. Executive Office of the President, et al. , the White House used the PROFS computer communications software. With encryption designed for secure messaging, PROFS notes concerning the Iran–Contra affair (arms-for-hostages) under the Reagan Administration were insulated. However, they were also backed up and transferred to paper memos. The National Security Council, on
21812-428: The gums to render them helpless against fighting dogs. Other animals, such as cats and rabbits, are also reported to be used as bait for fighting dogs. Experts have said small dogs, kittens, and rabbits are more at risk of being stolen for bait than larger animals. National Geographic noted that there are no statistics on how many pets are taken and used as bait by dog fighting rings each year. Patricia Wagner, head of
21976-528: The head of the queue, and it would have to wait its turn. This legal reasoning and holding has been adopted by all other American circuits, though courts continue to complain that FOIA request delays are too long. In the 1983 case McGehee v. CIA the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals stated: The Freedom of Information Act nevertheless imposes on the courts the responsibility to ensure that agencies comply with their obligation to "make ... records promptly available to any person" who requests them unless
22140-498: The high volume of requests has led to what a Colorado official said amounts to "a denial-of-service attack on local government." Local election officials in Florida and Michigan have reported spending 25-70% of staff time in recent years on processing public records requests. In 2022, officials in Maricopa County, Arizona reported one request that required nearly half the election office’s staff to spend four days sorting and scanning 20,000 documents. A review of recent state laws by
22304-413: The identity of informants who gave information regarding case details. However, O'Connor ruled that those who supplied information had no need to remain anonymous in the court setting. "To the extent that the Government's proof may compromise legitimate interests, the Government still can attempt to meet its burden with in camera affidavits." The court thus remanded the case to the Circuit Courts and rejected
22468-504: The intelligence community". President George W. Bush signed the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2007, Pub. L. 110–175 (text) (PDF) , on December 31, 2007. This law, also known as the "OPEN Government Act of 2007", amended the federal FOIA statute in several ways. According to a White House press release, it does so by: Changes include the following: On December 29, 2009, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13526 , which allows
22632-410: The justifications in some US cities to implement breed-specific legislation . Other breeds in which dogs at various stages of the breed history have sometimes been used as fighters include the Akita Inu , the Boston terrier , the Bully Kutta , the Ca de Bou , the Dogo Argentino , the Gull Dong , the Gull Terrier , the Neapolitan Mastiff , the Presa Canario , the Spanish Mastiff , and
22796-420: The large volume of records and limited resources, the amendment also extended the agencies' required response time to FOIA requests. Formerly, the response time was ten days and the amendment extended it to twenty business days. Executive Order 13233 , drafted by Alberto R. Gonzales and issued by President George W. Bush on November 1, 2001, restricted access to the records of former presidents. This order
22960-467: The majority of committed dogmen were mostly drawn from the working class, while the middle and upper classes were barely represented. Men from middle and upper classes have opportunities to express their masculinity through their occupations; dog fighting, therefore, is just a hobby for them while it plays a central role in the lives of working class men. Aside from enjoyment of the sport and status, people are also drawn to dog fighting for money. In fact,
23124-425: The misuse of government classification of documents was causing insiders to leak documents that were marked "confidential". The committee also determined that the lowest rung of the confidentiality ladder "confidential" should be removed. They deemed that "secret" and "top secret" covered national security adequately. The Moss Committee took it upon itself to reform confidentiality policy and implement punishments for
23288-483: The overuse of classification by officials and departments. The FOIA was initially introduced as the bill S. 1160 in the 89th Congress. When the two-page bill was signed into law, it became Pub. L. 89–487 , 80 Stat. 250 , enacted July 4, 1966 , but had an effective date of one year after the date of enactment, or July 4, 1967. The law set up the structure of FOIA as we know it today. President Lyndon B. Johnson , despite his misgivings, signed
23452-478: The poorest people of Honduras. The most common dog of choice for trainers was the American Pit Bull Terrier. Matches were held in the shanty towns of Tegucigalpa, with fights taking place in a simple sand pit surrounded by bleachers, often with only a few dozen spectators. Dog Fighting was more of a spectating pastime for those living in poverty than a form of gambling for locals. Dog Fighting On The Rise Among Poor Of Honduras | The Seattle Times On November 12, 2015,
23616-415: The possession of any fighting equipment designed for dog fighting is illegal in all Australian states and territories. The illegal nature of dog fighting in Australia means that injured dogs rarely get veterinary treatment, placing the dog's health and welfare at even greater risk. "Restricted Breed Dogs" cannot be imported into Australia. These include the Dogo Argentino , the Tosa , the Fila Brasileiro ,
23780-424: The prosecution violated Brady v. Maryland , 373 U.S. 83 (1963), by withholding material exculpatory evidence, he filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the FBI for information it had compiled in connection with the murder investigation." In defense, the FBI put forth a claim that the redacted sections of the documents requested were withheld in accordance with FOIA regulations protecting
23944-421: The shortage of bears, bull-baiters soon realized that large fighting dogs were built too heavy and too slow for this type of combat. When fighting a bull, dogs were trained to grab onto the bull's nose and pin the bull's head to the ground. If the dog failed to do this, the bull would fling the dog out of the ring with its horns. The British therefore decided to selectively breed fighting dogs for shorter legs and
24108-474: The suffering, and ultimately become criminalized. Dog fighting is unlawful in all 50 states and the District of Columbia , as well as Guam , Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands . Before the Federal law was passed, New York already had issued felony penalties up to four years to individuals fighting any types of animals, but some other levels of participation were only misdemeanor offenses. The state of New York considers attending an animal fight to be merely
24272-409: The time limit. There are various other rules, including one that specifies that a dog will lose if it attempts to copulate . Champion dogs are called yokozuna , as in sumo . Dog fighting is not banned at a nationwide level, but the prefectures of Tokyo , Kanagawa , Fukui , Ishikawa , Toyama and Hokkaidō all ban the practice. Currently, most fighting dogs in Japan are of the Tosa breed, which
24436-455: The training of fighting dogs may entail the use of small animals (including kittens) as prey for the dogs. Dog fighting has been popular in many countries throughout history and continues to be practiced both legally and illegally around the world. In the 20th and 21st centuries, dog fighting has increasingly become an unlawful activity in most jurisdictions of the world, despite the fact that in cultural practice it may be common. Dog fighting
24600-425: The violence that the dogs endure during and after the fights, but because they often suffer their entire lives. This is intentional, as many participants believe the rough treatment of the dogs will make them better, more aggressive fighters. This position and the resulting treatment afforded the dogs stand in stark contrast with prevailing public values regarding the treatment of dogs in many societies. In addition to
24764-406: The weapon of choice; indeed, their versatile utility arguably surpasses that of a loaded firearm in the criminal underground. Drug dealers distribute their illicit merchandise, wagers are made, weapons are concealed, and the dogs mutilate each other in a bloody frenzy as crowds cheer them on. Violence often erupts among the usually armed gamblers when debts are to be collected and paid. There is also
24928-600: The withholding, the Special Counsel shall promptly initiate a proceeding to determine whether disciplinary action is warranted against the officer or employee who was primarily responsible for the withholding." In this way, there is recourse for one seeking information to go to a federal court if suspicion of illegal tampering or delayed sending of records exists. However, nine exemptions address issues of sensitivity and personal rights. They are (as listed in 5 U.S.C. § 552 ): The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 (at 39 U.S.C. § 410(c)(2) ) exempts
25092-453: The workings of government to public scrutiny." One of the premises of that objective is the belief that "an informed electorate is vital to the proper operation of a democracy." A more specific goal implicit in the foregoing principles is to give citizens access to the information on the basis of which government agencies make their decisions, thereby equipping the populace to evaluate and criticize those decisions. The law came about because of
25256-451: Was also popular in Akita Prefecture , which is the origin of the Akita breed. Dog fighting evolved in Kōchi to a form that is called tōken ( 闘犬 ) . Under modern rules, dogs fight in a fenced ring until one of the dogs barks, yelps, or loses the will to fight. Owners are allowed to admit defeat, and matches are stopped if a doctor judges that it is too dangerous. Draws usually occur when both dogs will not fight or both dogs fight until
25420-426: Was approved by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Barrington D. Parker. Suit was filed at District Court under Judge Richey, who upheld the injunction of PROFS records. Richey gave a further injunction to prevent a purging of the George H.W. Bush's administration's records as well. On counts of leaving the White House clean for the new Clinton Administration, the Bush group appealed but was denied its request. Finally,
25584-447: Was arrested at a dogfight in Texas, although charges were later dropped. In the late 2000s, NFL quarterback Michael Vick was linked to property in southeastern Virginia where authorities believe a multi-state dog fighting operation was based. In an interview with WAVY-TV , Portsmouth, Virginia , Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis and a teammate, offensive tackle Chris Samuels , defended Vick. Portis said that if Vick
25748-455: Was arrested. The investigation eventually involved local, state and Federal authorities. In late April, Vick told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "I'm never at the house…I left the house with my family…They just haven't been doing the right thing…It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it. If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on." On July 2, agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed court documents describing
25912-546: Was convicted in 2001 of transmitting images of fighting dogs across state lines and sentenced to 30 months in prison. In March 2007, a combined Federal, state and local law enforcement team disrupted a large dog fighting network in Dayton, Ohio which was operating in Ohio, Kentucky , and Michigan . The investigation of the operation based in Montgomery County, Ohio had lasted a year. More than two dozen arrests were made and more than 60 dogs were seized. In May, 7 persons in Ohio submitted guilty pleas to state charges. Sentencing
26076-413: Was employed as a veterinarian 's assistant. According to Harrison County Prosecutor Herman Cox , Landry has confessed to investigators that he made about $ 5,000 a month fighting his dogs against other dogs. On April 25, 2007, an investigation began in Virginia after evidence of a dog fighting ring turned up during a narcotics search of a 15-acre (61,000 m) home and property owned by Michael Vick ,
26240-408: Was especially evident in the process of making public the FBI files on J. Edgar Hoover . Of the 164 files and about eighteen thousand pages collected by the FBI, two-thirds were withheld from Athan G. Theoharis , most notably one entire folder entitled the "White House Security Survey". Despite finding out that the Truman Library had an accessible file which documented all the reports of this folder,
26404-508: Was moved from its original home in Section 3 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Section 3 of the APA, as enacted in 1946, gave agencies broad discretion concerning the publication of governmental records. Following concerns that the provision had become more of a withholding than a disclosure mechanism, Congress amended the section in 1966 as a standalone act to implement "a general philosophy of full agency disclosure." The amendment required agencies to publish their rules of procedure in
26568-467: Was outlawed, dog fighting was considered an isolated animal welfare issue, and as such was ignored, denied, or disregarded by law enforcement agencies. However, it has now been established that the dog fighting culture is often intimately connected to other criminal activity, with dog fighters frequently involved in organized crime, racketeering, drug distribution, or gangs, and dog fighting events often facilitating gambling and drug trafficking. According to
26732-490: Was pending at the time of a USDA news release in June 2007. On April 24, authorities in Pass Christian, Mississippi raided a large dog fighting training compound owned by Maxwell Landry . According to several news stories on local television station WLOX , 17 persons were arrested and fighting dogs from Louisiana , crack cocaine and several other illicit drugs were found at the scene and confiscated. 44 pit bulls were seized. Landry once lived in Chalmette, Louisiana . After
26896-436: Was revoked on January 21, 2009, as part of President Barack Obama 's Executive Order 13489 . Public access to presidential records was restored to the original extent of five years (12 for some records) outlined in the Presidential Records Act . In 2002, Congress passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, Pub. L. 107–306 (text) (PDF) . Within this omnibus legislation were amendments to
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