Group offers reward for dogfighting tips

The highly publicized case of Michael Vick has brought illegal dog fighting out of the shadows and into the national spotlight. Now animal rights enthusiasts want Georgians to help put an end to the practice here at home. The Humane Society of the United States has set up a toll free tip line and is offering an award of up to $5,000 leading to arrest and conviction of those suspected of dog fighting activities. Cheryl McAuliffe is a spokesperson for the group.

"People who live in communities where this is going on are terrorized. If you ride through a subdivision and you see missing dog or missing cat, a lot of the times the animals were picked up by people who deal in this."

McAuliffe says there's big money to be made on dog fighting, where a purse can sometime reach as high as fifty-thousand dollars. The legislature will also consider toughening Georgia's dog fighting laws when it starts its forty day session on Monday.

GA SHERIFF’S FIGHTS DOG FIGHTING

The statewide Sheriff’s Association has teamed up with the national Humane Society to encourage Georgians to turn in suspected dog fighting enthusiasts. In addition to the $5,000 reward offered by the Humane Society of the United States, the Georgia Sheriff's Association is offering its own reward of up to $5,000.

Terry Norris is spokesperson for the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.

“I'm representing all of the sheriff's in support of the human society's efforts to stop dog fighting. I happen to be an animal lover and a dog lover and just from the humane side of things, it is vital that we protect animals.”

On the Web at: http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/end_dogfighting_georgia_campaign_011008.html