Open letter to Congress: Endorse FIGHT Act to stop animal fighting

FIGHT Act would provide federal law enforcement tools to stop criminal organized animal fighting ventures.

‍December 18, 2024

An open letter to Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation:

Merry Christmas! I am writing today to humbly ask for your help. Please become a leading voice for animal well-being by co-sponsoring and advocating for the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act. This anti-animal fighting legislation is up for consideration in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 2742) and the U.S. Senate (S. 1529).

The FIGHT Act would amend our national law prohibiting organized dogfighting and cockfighting (7 U.S. Code § 2156) and give law enforcement constitutionally sound enforcement tools to root out these persistent, widespread, and dangerous criminal enterprises by:

• Banning online gambling on fighting ventures, wherever the fights are staged;

• Halting the shipment of mature roosters (chickens only) shipped through the U.S. mail (this legislation does not address shipping baby chicks, who are used in accepted animal agricultural operations; it is already illegal to ship dogs through the mail);

• Creating a private right of action, after proper notice is provided to federal and local law enforcement of an illegal fighting venture, allowing a citizen to bring a civil proceeding to shut down such ventures, easing the resource burden on federal agencies; and,

• Enhancing forfeiture provisions to include real property for animal fighting crimes.

With more bipartisan support than any other animal welfare legislation introduced in the 118th Congress, the FIGHT Act has over 750 organizations and agencies endorsing it, including the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National District Attorneys Association, the American Gaming Association, United Egg Producers, and many more.

According to the National Sheriffs’ Association, “animal fighting investigations have uncovered intricate criminal networks and connections to organized crime, trafficking narcotics, illegal firearms, and attempted bribery of elected officials.” American cockfighters, including some in Oklahoma, are working with Mexican cartels to supply birds for organized animal fighting in Mexico. Animal fighting is also known to spread diseases such as the highly pathogenic avian influenza, which now threatens poultry and dairy cattle farms across the nation.

Please cosponsor and support the FIGHT Act. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Kirkpatrick Policy Group

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