CHIHUAHUA, Mexico — Humane Society International welcomes the introduction of a bill to penalize a host of activities related to dogfighting in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. Congresswoman Nadia Xóchitl Siqueiros Loera introduced the bill during a ceremony attended by HSI.

Dogfighting became a federal offence on June 22, thanks in part to HSI’s efforts to convince legislators that the activity is not only immensely cruel to the animals involved it’s also surrounded by other criminal activities and violent behavior. Dogs subjected to the crime are trained to fight to the death and even the ‘winners’ often succumb to their terrible injuries. While the country’s criminal code now includes dogfighting, it is also important that each state penalize it in their respective criminal codes.

Claudia Edwards, DVM, program director of HSI/Mexico, who was present at a press conference to mark the bill’s introduction, said: “With dogfighting already a federal crime, it’s time for Chihuahua to establish strong penalties against this cruel activity in the state. If passed, this initiative would send a message to dogfighters — your crime will be punished to the fullest extent of Chihuahua’s criminal code.”

Dr. Edwards presented a lecture to local government officials and animal activists about dogfighting, including identifying the different types of fights and ways to organize raids against them. HSI/Mexico has conducted various trainings to Chihuahua officials on responding to extreme cases animal cruelty.

Legislators from other state congresses have presented similar initiatives to punish dogfighting. They include Xavier López Adame, a member of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico, who is president of the Commission for the Preservation of the Environment, Ecological Protection and Climate Change in the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City. López Adame presented an initiative to reform Mexico City’s Animal Protection Act and the Criminal Code to penalize and eradicate dogfights.

Media contacts: Mexico: Magaly Garibay, mgaribay@ideeconsulting.com, (55) 5211 8731 ext. 104/U.S.: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1-301-721-6440