Intermountain state moves closer than ever before to tougher dog fighting laws
By Jon Dunn, Best Friends Animal SocietyIdaho State Senator Brad Little isn’t your average lawmaker that pushes legislation for animals. He’s a former Sheep Rancher, and a Republican, but he realizes what dog fighting could do to his state if allowed to flourish.
“Everything that is connected to dog fighting is stuff we aren’t too excited about here in Idaho,” explained Little in an interview with Best Friends. “Organized crime, gambling, drugs are all things we want to keep out of our state.”
For a long time, Idaho’s name has been mentioned when it comes to dog fighting, as only one of two states where the crime is not a felony. Little explains that no one ever felt there was an issue with the blood sport in Idaho, but a couple of recent cases, and the Vick case changed that.
“There was the Willard case,” said Little. “It was a narcotics bust, and they found thirty pit bulls. All of a sudden dog fighting was a reality here.”
Previous efforts to toughen the law in Idaho have failed, mostly because the proposed changes were too far reaching for many. But this time, a well written bill with the buy-in from everyone will hopefully assure its passage.
“We went to the kennel clubs, the ranchers, the humane societies, everyone was happy with this,” said Little. In fact there has only been one constituent complaint about the legislation. The person didn’t believe there was a need for such a law in Idaho. Little explained about the two recent cases of dog fighting, and the complaint went away.
The bill is currently moving quickly through the Capitol, with Little expecting the Governor’s signature making the bill law in as little as three weeks.
“We are just like everyone else in Idaho, we love our dogs.”
Click here to read the full text from S.B. 1260.