Demand Justice for Rescue Used as Bait in Dog Fighting

Target: Ramon Batista, Chief of Santa Monica Police Department

Goal: Investigate drop-off of abused bait dog at local animal shelter.

Federal authorities rescued 120 canines from an alleged dog fighting ring in South Carolina. A Florida dog fighting ring raid led to the rescue of over 100 dogs. And in the stunning Missouri 500 case, 500-plus dogs were saved in the nation’s largest dog fighting investigation. While each of these high-profile cases grabbed headlines, every day countless innocent animals fall through the cracks. The story of Olive, a rescue dog saved from a high-kill animal shelter in California, is one tragic case in point.

Olive’s condition upon her initial arrive at the animal shelter indicated a history of horrific abuse, including signs of a serious jaw injury. More disturbing still, Olive was lactating, but no puppies were dropped off at the shelter alongside her. Upon examination, caretakers theorized that Olive had been a frequent subject of breeding. And the filed-down state of her teeth also pointed to Olive’s likely status as a so-called bait dog. Such dogs are the often-forgotten victims of dog fighting. They are kept defenseless and vulnerable so that they cannot fight back against larger and more aggressive dogs. Criminals involved in dog fighting operations use these dogs to “train” dogs intended for dog fighting. Bait dogs are essentially sacrificial lambs in the transformation of fighting dogs into killers. They deserve justice too, one forgotten animal at a time.

Sign the petition below to ensure Olive is not forgotten.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Chief Batista,

Sandy Dog Rescue, a non-profit animal rescue, recently came upon a heartbreaking case involving a lactating dog that was dropped off at a high-kill animal shelter, minus her litter of puppies. Olive’s condition stirred the emotions of individuals who have likely witnessed all manner of atrocities committed against living beings. She bore the scars of serious past injuries and the signs of unchecked breeding. More disturbing still, she checked off the boxes of a bait dog: an animal basically “fed” by dog fighting rings to dogs weaponized as aggressive fighters.

Rest assured that Olive is likely not the only victim. Please investigate her case and identify the perpetrators responsible for this horrendous and chronic abuse. Do not let cruel dog fighting thrive in your community.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Augustus Binu