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Article: Humane Society: Maryland dogfighting laws weak
- Article from:
- Capital (Annapolis)
- Article date:
- September 16, 2007
CopyrightCopyright 2007 Capital (Annapolis). Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Maryland has some of the weakest penalties for dogfighting,
according to the Humane Society of the United States.
The animal rights group ranked Maryland 40th out of the 50 states.
Police can charge dogfight organizers and the animal owners with
felonies, but can only levy misdemeanor charges against spectators, a
society news release states.
"Now that the nation has been awakened to the horrors of
dogfighting and its prevalence, states with weak dogfighting laws
need to step up to the plate," said John Goodwin, the Humane
Society's manager of animal fighting issues. "Strong felony penalties
for dogfighting, including being a spectator at a fight, are
essential to controlling this criminal, ...