Dog-fight ring exposed

November 22, 2008

November 22 2008 at 11:50AM

By Zara NicholsonSaturday Argus photographer Leon Lestrade was left sickened and shaking after being allowed to photograph a pitbull fight between two 10-month-old pups. "In 15 years of photography, covering crime scenes, riots and violent protest marches and seeing dozens of bodies, I have never seen anything like this dog fight," Lestrade said.The fight is believed to have been just one of an increasing number of bouts taking place in Cape Flats backyards.Big money is involved, both in betting and the price of dogs, with the puppies of champion dogs selling for up to R8 000.Allan Perrins of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA said they were monitoring a number of websites where dog fighting was arranged and people sought opponents online.

"In the organised circles the stakes are big and there is a lot of money involved."But fighting-dog owners looking for "prestige and status" could find themselves serving time in jail and being fired up to R300nbsp;000 instead. Suburbs where the most cases are reported are Athlone, Kraaifontein, Hout Bay, Woodstock and Ocean View. Perrins said they were busy with investigations which were at a "very sensitive" stage.He added that people did it for "prestige and status".Usually the fights end with the death of one of the dogs but in the fight Lestrade covered the owners pulled their dogs away. Lestrade, an animal lover, had heard about dog fights and had been trying to find out more abut them for five months.Eventually he heard about a fight between two pups due to take place in Bishop Lavis on Thursday. "When I arrived there they were already fighting. I started shooting the fight but after a while I started to feel sick."In front of a small crowd, the pups charged at one another, biting at each other's faces, necks and ears while spectators recorded it all on their cellphones. After about 15 minutes one of the owners grabbed his dog, saying he had "had enough now", and the other owner pulled his dog away too. Lestrade said: "I became so emotional when the one dog was just lying there with his face swollen. I am an animal lover and so are these guys, but when you see what they make their dogs do, I can't understand why they would do it."During the fight the owners were shouting and directing their pups to where they should attack the other dog, saying, 'Take him there, and take him there'."The social networking site Facebook has numerous groups dedicated to anti-dog fighting drives. Perrins of the SPCA said: "Organised fighting is more prevalent in Johannesburg because there is more money there." He added that they had been investigating the scourge for the past six years and had succeeded in getting convictions. Chief inspector at the SPCA Andries Venter said people who knew about dogfights should report them to the SPCA."It is a common phenomenon and it's very difficult to control. It usually happens sporadically all over the Cape Flats. The worst we have seen are gangs involved in other criminal activities. "We recently went a house in Kraaifontein with blood splattered all over the walls of one room. Outside there were eight pitbulls tied up around the house and clear signs of dog fighting in the room."People were arrested for dog fighting under the Animals Protection Act. Venter said perpetrators could face jail sentences of up to two years and the court would also ban the person from owning an animal for a given period. "There is usually an increase around school holidays with kids at home with nothing better to do."With the more organised crime circles people tend to come down from Gauteng. With every holiday we get more reports and calls and we come across dog fighting rings and homes."Venter said an owner of a "champion" dog would sell his puppies for prices ranging from R3 000 to R8 000."Underground rings are so tight and they know they are being watched. Every loophole we found, they close very quickly. We have to clamp down and catch them in one go or the rest will scatter," Venter said.Earlier this week a 74-year-old Johannesburg woman died after she was attacked by her son's two pitbull terriers.

If you know of illegal dog fights report them to the SPCA emergency number 083 326 1604.

This article was originally published on page 1 of Cape Argus on November 22, 2008