How this vicious ‘game’ works

Many of the dogs are specifically bred for fighting, but some dogs are stolen.

Pitpull terriers, says Bernice Hammond, from the animal welfare organisation Charm, are favourites for fighting.

“When pitbulls are stolen it is for breeding fighter dogs or for fighting,” she says. It is easy steal a pitbull because they are aggressive towards other animals, but usually loving towards humans.

According to Hammond, a dog is tested to see whether it is a “game dog”.

“This relates to unmatched courage, a determination (even in the face of fear) to not back down, turn tail or give up, irrespective of pain, exhaustion or injury.

“Gameness does not refer to the ability to fight, but rather to the willingness to fight. These game dogs will fight to the death,” she says.

Hopley says a dog usually lasts only three fights “if they’re lucky”. “The turnover of dogs is huge,” she says. Champion dogs usually last a litt le longer.

The NSPCA says dog fighting is a multi-million rand industry involving “a very intricate underground web that ranges from impromptu events in a back alley with stolen dogs, to a carefully planned event”.

Before a dog is declared fit to fight it will fi rst be enticed by weaker or smaller dogs.

Often the smaller dog’s teeth are fi led or removed so that it does not injure the fighting dog. The fighting dog then learns to fight.

The dog also needs to fight a much bigger and stronger dog and only when it is clear that the dog will fight to the death, will he be entered into an official fight.

The fight can last anything from a minute to hours.

According to the NSPCA, the dogs in fights often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion or infection hours or days after the fight – and very seldom do they receive veterinary attention for their injuries.

If the losing dog survives the fight but is “perceived to be a particular embarrassment to its owner it may be executed in a brutal fashion, such as drowning, electrocution, hanging, strangling, shooting, being burnt alive or beaten to death as part of the entertainment – to regain the respect of their peers,” the NSPCA says.

Many believe these fighting dogs can be rehabilitated. “This doesn’t mean they will never fight again if challenged, but it does mean that they can, and will, return to their normal state,” says Hammond.