Last modified: Sunday, February 10, 2008 10:59 PM EST Rep. Louis Kafka, D-Sharon, and the MSPCA worked together to write legislation that would expand the offenses and penalties for people who engage in and watch organized animal fighting. The bill is now under study in the state Legislature. (Submitted) Fighting the abuse BY MAITE JULLIAN FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE When Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted for his role in a dog fighting operation last July, the case highlighted the issue of animal fighting, a crime that rarely makes the headlines. But months before the Vick story broke, Rep. Louis Kafka, D-Sharon, was working with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to write legislation to increase penalties for organizers and spectators of such fights. "I am not sure how specific or how big the problem is," Kafka said. "But the MSPCA and other ones dealing with it in the streets knew things were happening." The legislation, now under study in the Legislature, proposes an increase in jail time and fines for organizers and spectators of animal fights, as well as for people involved in creating, distributing or possessing pictures or videos of fights. Violators today face a $250 penalty and a one-year jail sentence for assisting with animal fights. Under the new law, they will face a $1,000 fine and 2½-to five-years in prison. The law also creates a penalty for the possession, purchase or creation of images depicting animal cruelty - $500 fine and a year in jail - and their use for commercial gain - $1,000 and two years imprisonment. Whatever the penalties, local officials say they see little evidence of actual contests in the area. Attleboro Animal Control Officer Butch Keefer said that since taking the job in October 2003, he has never come across an organized animal fight. "I don't believe there has been any case in the past four years," he said. Nor is Foxboro Animal Control Officer John Hazeldine aware of animal fighting in his town. "It doesn't happen that much in small cities," he said. But Hazeldine has found abandoned pitbulls, including a female discovered three days ago that appeared to have just had puppies. "They breed them for some reason," he said. Dog fights are hard to track down. They take place in hidden streets, basements or vacant lots. They can be well planned and organized, with invitation cards and big bets. They can also happen quickly, as an improvised game, with less money involved. For law enforcement officers, it is hard to evaluate and prosecute the cases. Evidence is often hard to come by and infiltrating the dog-fighting underworld is a difficult task. "Animals fighters are reluctant to let new people participate," said Peter Gollub, MSPCA director of enforcement. "Because people who do it typically know that it is illegal, they take special care to hide it." According to the Humane Society of the United States, organized fights last from 45 minutes to an hour, although some matches can last three hours. Winner's purses can be as high as $5,000 for the best dogs. "The problem is that it is so hidden," said John Goodwin, manager of the national society's department for Animals Fighting Issues. "We estimate that around 40,000 people are involved in underworld dog fighting nationwide." In Massachusetts, dog fighting and the possession of dogs intended to fight is a felony. Being a spectator is a misdemeanor. The national humane society ranks the state 35th in enforcement of dog fighting laws. For the MSPCA and national humane society, the new legislation marks a step forward by targeting spectators. "We know that spectators at animal fights frequently have fought already or are waiting to fight," Gollub said. "If something happens, they can just claim that they are spectators. This bill will begin to close a bit of a loophole." By increasing the penalties, the bills' supporters hope it will discourage spectators from attending animal fights and further penalize organizers by limiting paid attendance at such events. They also hope the provision penalizing the possession and distribution of images depicting acts of violence toward animals also will curb the profits from illegal fights. "The depiction of animal cruelty can serve to desensitize people to the crime, itself," Gollub said. "They also use it as a marketing tool."