Sample Letter to Prosecutors and Judges


[Date]

[Name of Prosecutor—if a judge, use "The Honorable"]
[Name of Organization]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip]

Re: Illegal Animal Fighting

Dear [Honorable/Mr./Ms. Last Name]:

Dogfighting and cockfighting activities—and the attendant illegal firearms, drugs, and gambling—may be on the rise throughout the country. I feel that it would be in our community's best interest to have law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges well informed about the latest animal fighting information, investigative techniques, and laws for our area. Those responsible for protecting us should be fully armed with the best possible skills—for our safety as well as their own.

While it is true that animals will fight over food, territory, or mates, such fights generally take place only to establish dominance within a group and seldom result in serious injury. This natural behavior is markedly different from a staged cockfight or dogfight, in which the animals are bred, conditioned, and trained for maximum aggressiveness—and given steroids and/or other drugs to make them even more vicious. There is nothing inherently natural about staged animal fighting; it is done for entertainment and profit.

Currently, cockfighting is illegal in almost every state and a felony in many states; dogfighting is illegal in every state and a felony in most states. Detection, investigation, and maximum penalties are the only successful ways to keep animal fighting out of our communities. I have learned that The Humane Society of the United States offers courses on this subject to law enforcement, prosecutors, government investigators, and judges on a by-request-only basis. I encourage you to employ every opportunity to eradicate animal fighting and keep it from infesting our community.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip]