The Discourse of Dog Fighting

Abstract

In this essay, we discuss dog fighting as a blood sport with a history embedded in the status-driven display of masculinity, power and violence. Based on published reports and interviews with those living and working in dog fighting neighborhoods, we show that the contemporary cultural knowledge of dog fighting is a discourse with multiple meanings: for those who pit dogs against each other, for the worried public, for those who are charged with law enforcement, and for the dogs themselves. We conclude with an argument that the discourse of dog fighting might best be approached from the perspective of green criminology with a focus on those who are most abused by the crime: the fighting dogs. REFLEXIVE STATEMENTSLinda Kalof writes for both academic and general readers on the representation of animals in western culture. Her current project is a historiography of animal imagery in blood sports and other human rituals and how those depictions are linked to the devaluation of marginalized social groups.

The Interplay of Traditional Cultural Events and Cattle Farm: Humans and Animals as Victims of Madurese Ancient Tradition

“…The best recognised of the animal-versus-animal competitions are cock fights, widespread in several parts of the world (Bryant, 1991;Geertz, 1972;Marvin, 1984); more localized instances are fights between camels (Calişkan, 2009(Calişkan, , 2010, water buffalos, horses (The Horse Fund, 2014), rams (Spooky, 2010), dogs (Forsyth and Evans, 1998;Kalof and Taylor, 2007), and even beetles (Wannamontha, 2011). In the past there were even elephant fights in Mughal, India (Pearson, 1984) and in Aceh, today's Indonesia (Reid, 1989).…”

Street-Involved Youth and Their Animal Companions—Stigma and Survival

“…Indeed, there are more human and environmental factors that contribute to aggressive dog incidents, than animal/dog factors themselves. That being said research to date on dogs within gangs shows that dog breed type is a factor in this human-animal relationship, with much of the research coming out of the United Kingdom and United States (Harding 2010;Kalof and Taylor 2007;Maher and Pierpoint 2011). Dog ownership among gang youth can be interpreted as another form of social capital, as these dogs often confer status, and among some, dogs are considered "weapons" of intimidation and protection.…”

“…Dog ownership among gang youth can be interpreted as another form of social capital, as these dogs often confer status, and among some, dogs are considered "weapons" of intimidation and protection. Indeed, use of dogs by gang members for criminal and other illegal purposes, such as dog fighting, has also been reported and bears a larger impact on public safety and society as a whole (Harding 2010;Kalof and Taylor 2007). Despite this, Maher and Pierpoint (2011) found that among 25 gang youth interviewed in South Wales, the most commonly cited role of dogs was for companionship and socialization.…”

“…Despite this, Maher and Pierpoint (2011) found that among 25 gang youth interviewed in South Wales, the most commonly cited role of dogs was for companionship and socialization. Extrinsic roles of dogs were also identified, including security, protection, fighting, and status (Maher and Pierpoint 2011); however, as Kalof and Taylor (2007) point out, "dog fighting and the status it provides among peers are not unique to urban street culture". When asked at a conference I was presenting at why I thought my research did not demonstrate that protection and security were primary reasons for dog ownership among street-involved youth, I replied "I have a German Shepherd, primarily for companionship for my family and children, but do I appreciate and benefit from her large size, keen hearing and deep bark?…”

Animal Blood Sport: A Ritual Display of Masculinity and Sexual Virility

“…In an ethnographic study of street youth culture in Detroit (Kalof & Taylor, 2007), field interviews conducted by the International Gang Research Project with psychologists, city officials, religious leaders, former gang members and community residents documented that dogfighting is a cornerstone of illegal activities in the city. 9 Dogfighting takes place in abandoned buildings and other isolated areas and attended by heavy betting insiders and outsiders.…”