Update June 22, 2017: The reform to the federal criminal code to penalize dogfighting has been published in the federal registry. This finalizes the legislative process of outlawing the cruel practice at the federal level.

Mexican lawmakers have approved penalties for dogfighting and the activities surrounding it, including organizing fights, owning or trading a fighting dog, possessing property used to hold fights or attending a fight as a spectator. The law will be enacted as soon as it is published in the federal register (Diario Oficial de la Federación).

Anton Aguilar, executive director of Humane Society International/Mexico, issued the following statement:

“We are grateful to our lawmakers for first banning, and now penalizing, dogfighting in Mexico. For too long, countless dogs have suffered and society has deteriorated because dogfighting, and the criminal rings that surround it, have largely been left untouched by the Mexican legal system. Those days are over. Dogfighters beware – dogfighting is a criminal activity in Mexico and now anyone participating or supporting this cruel spectacle could face serious consequences under the law.”

Support the efforts of HSI to prevent cruelty and save lives.

Timeline:

• April 2017: The Senate Justice Committee approves dogfighting penalties, moving the bill to the full Senate, which voted today to approve the penalties.
• January 2017: the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a reform of article 82 BIS 2 of the Ecological Equilibrium and Environment Protection General Law mandating that the Federation, the Federal States and Mexico City penalize the dogfighting within a year.
• December 2016: the House of Representatives passed a reform of the federal criminal code penalizing various activities related to dogfighting, including organizing fights, owning or trading a fighting dog, possessing a property used to hold fights, and attending a fight as a spectator.
• July 2016: HSI/Mexico launched an anti-dogfighting campaign, including a petition for legislators to ban and penalize dogfighting in Mexico. In November 2016, HSI presented the more than 200,000 signatures obtained supporting the petition.

Media contact: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, (US) +1 301 721 6440

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