Bad news for hog doggers

[eSPO]

It appears there has been a 4 State bust of people involved with a major hogcatching association . In Arizona there is no law against hog catching but, apparently, the Humane Soicety considers this cruelty to animals. I got an invite to go from a guy that puts the catches on in Arizona, but with the new baby,pups, and family in town it was not good timing. Now him and his wife are in jail . Other well known names in the hog catching arena may have been arrested. :( :( :mad: :mad:
I wonder if they will be putting a legal defense fund together ? Keep your eyes open and ears to the ground, please.

http://members3.boardhost.com/DOGOMAN/
more info about this is on Dogoman's board.

[eSPO]

We need to fight this , tooth and nail. Hog hunting is legitimate training for eliminating hogs that are pests and nuisances. Cruelty to animals ? In Arizona , there is a part of town that gets overrun by roof rats and there is a state run program to eliminate them. That is Cruelty to animals too.
We need to be careful or we will end up like the sorry assed fox hunters in Europe who have had the traditional fox hunt legislated away. This pisses me off. There are many fine people involved with this who put out alot of time , effort and money to provide venues where dogs can be proven in their traditional roles.

Sorry ezespo, I don't agree with hog catching as sport, and am glad these people are being punished for it. I'm just stating my opinion please don't flame me. Although I have never been to a hog catching "event", I've seen the videos and did not like what I saw. :(

And no I am not a PETA/animal activist. *coughs and spits*

[presas4me]

I agree with you Dakhaois.......the dogs that are catching hogs in a catch pen are usually not the dogs out catching hogs in the wild. A Presa owner from another board hunts hogs to eliminate them because they are a nuisance and doesn't let his dog near the hogs.

[chucky]

Sorry ezespo, I don't agree with hog catching as sport, and am glad these people are being punished for it. I'm just stating my opinion please don't flame me. Although I have never been to a hog catching "event", I've seen the videos and did not like what I saw. :(

And no I am not a PETA/animal activist. *coughs and spits*


Same here.

[presas4me]

Here is the news article regarding this subject:

The Arizona Republic
Dec. 17, 2004 04:05 PM

Authorities arrested a Cave Creek couple Friday on animal-abuse charges over a bloody sport known as "hog dogging," in which bull terriers are released in an arena area to chase down wild boars.

Deputies from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office took into custody James M. Curry, 33, and his wife, Jodie Marie Curry-Liesberg. They face multiple counts of animal cruelty, as well as drugs and child-abuse charges, authorities said.

The arrest was part of a multistate investigation that was aided in part by the Arizona Humane Society, which provided the Sheriff's Office with a videodisc that showed the "hog dogging" fights.
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Advertised over the Internet, the fights were apparently connected to some in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, where raids also occurred early Friday morning.

"What you have here are hogs that can be very, very cruel, especially if they are not neutered," explained Katie Decker, spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture. She said the fights pitted Russian black boars, which were herded by the hounds, against American bulldogs.

"You take these dogs that have an aggressive nature, such as American bulldogs, you starve them or get them underweight and then you put a really big ham in front of them."

Officials from Yavapai County and Maricopa County Sheriff's Offices and the Department of Agriculture raided the home of James M. Curry and his wife, Jodi Marie Curry, in the 35000 block of North 14th Street at about 6:35 a.m.

While there, officers also found nearly three pounds of marijuana and an SKS rifle. The couple faces drug, weapon, child abuse and animal cruelty charges. Three children, ages 11, 9 and 8, were taken into custody by Child Protective Services.

Though Arizona has laws outlawing dog fighting and cock fighting, there is no separate law banning fights between hogs and dogs, Decker said. Animal cruelty charges can be pursued when someone knowingly causes harm to an animal.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office was first tipped off to hog-dogging events at someplace called the "EZ Ranch" in Cordes Lakes in October. According to the office's press release, fights are held in an arena area, where wild boars are released one at a time. Dogs are then released to "catch" them by biting and latching on to the animal's throat or body until their jaws are forcibly pried open by a "break stick."

Officials seized 32 Russian boars, 12 adult bulldogs and hounds and a litter of five pups, which were being advertised for sale. The dogs are being treated at Prescott Animal Shelter for being underweight. The hogs are in state custody at a private residence in Chino Valley. The animals had scars, but no new injuries, Decker said.

[eSPO]

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