Mexican lawmakers moved one step closer to enacting tough penalties for dogfighting with a vote today in the Senate Justice committee. Activities to be penalized include organizing fights, owning or trading a fighting dog, possessing a property used to hold fights, or attending a fight as a spectator. The full Senate is now expected to vote on the reform.

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

“We applaud Senators in the Justice Committee for passing these much needed reforms to the Federal Criminal Code to penalize dogfighting throughout Mexico. Dogfighting is a criminal act that needs to be punished because of the immense suffering it causes to dogs and the illegal, violent entities that surround these underground activities. With this vote, Senators are sending a clear signal, and echoing what the Mexican public demands, that it’s time to root out animal cruelty and violence from Mexico. We now urge the full Senate to approve these penalties as soon as possible.”

HSI joined animal advocates earlier in the day in a press conference to urge Senators in the committee to penalize dogfighting.

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