Gone to the dogs - what do you think?

RSPCA wrote:Last nights Channel 4 documentary ‘Going to the Dogs’ was a miserable viewing experience.

If you missed it, the documentary went deep into the criminal underworld of organised dog fighting. This is where dogs are trained to fight and inflict as much pain and damage to the other dog as possible.

We saw for ourselves what we already knew, that the dogs unfortunate enough to find themselves in this position are treated like nothing more than pieces of sporting equipment to be disposed of when damaged. They are left to suffer with horrific injuries, never taken to a vet and will ultimately either be ripped apart in the ring, or disposed of in just as violent a manner. It gave a harrowing insight to the mind of a dog fighter that ‘these dogs were created to satisfy their owners’.

Dog fighting cases are some of the most complex
Despite it being banned since 1835, the RSPCA still investigates and prosecutes dog fighting cases and have a specialist unit to investigate organised crime involving animals. Dog fighting cases are some of the most difficult to bring to trial as they are extremely complex. They also involve a large number of organised criminals who are very often linked to other types of crime. RSPCA inspectors have actually died in the past investigating animal fighting. It can take years to gather enough evidence to bring a case to court and the RSPCA leads the way in uncovering this illegal activity and bringing dog fighters to justice.

However, having watched ‘Going to the Dogs’ we’re left wondering what exactly the point of it was…

There is no doubt that there are many brilliant documentaries that, while hard to watch, serve a virtuous purpose to expose injustice and motivate people to get behind a cause. A good example of this is the documentary ‘Blackfish’, which exposes and challenges the cruel but legal captive orca industry. It’s not an easy watch but importantly, it serves a clear purpose, asking viewers to change their own behaviour (i.e stop supporting the industry) and to get behind the campaign to end orca captivity.

No purpose to the documentary
Staffordshire bull terrier in a cage‘Going to the Dogs’ however, did not seem to serve any such purpose. Dog fighting is already illegal, and the RSPCA and other enforcement bodies are already doing everything possible to uncover this activity and bring those involved to justice. Other than support the RSPCA’s efforts, there is nothing that the public can do to stop this suffering. So we’re not sure how attending and filming an illegal dogfight (which is illegal in itself), failing to share the footage or criminals identities with the RSPCA or the police and then broadcasting the fight, serves to help stop dog fighting or alleviate the suffering of the dogs in last nights show.

In the absence of a clear point being made or a cause to get behind, the documentary seemed to strive to validate its purpose by comparing dog fighting to other animal welfare issues such as farmed animal welfare and horse racing. It posed the question, if these are ok, why is dog fighting bad? However, the attempts to justify dog fights came across as nothing more than disingenuous red herrings designed only to court controversy. After all, if the film makers were genuinely concerned with the horse racing industry or poor farming practice, why not make a documentary to expose these animal welfare issues which are legal and where change could potentially come. Or did Channel 4 really believe dog fighting should be made legal again?

‘Going to the Dogs’ did nothing to help animals
While some may argue that the documentary has raised awareness that dog fighting still occurs. We’re concerned that this awareness may have come at a high cost to dogs. With ‘Dog Fighting for Dummies’ style training tips and the scenes which could serve to glamorise dog fighting to certain sections of society.

Overall we believe that ‘Going to the Dogs’ was ill-conceived, irresponsible and has done to nothing to help animals, fought or farmed.

The RSPCA will continue its work to investigate and uncover illegal dog fighting and we are calling on Channel 4 to hand over the footage and reveal the identities of the dog fighters so that we can fully investigate this cruelty. If you recognised any of the dog fighters in last nights show please contact us (anonymously if you wish) on 0300 1234 999.

If you would like to write to Channel 4 to echo our calls you can do so below…

You can also text FIGHT to 70099 to give £3 and help bring dog fighters to justice.

- Violet
RSPCA, campaigns manager

Eleanor wrote:Hmm, they should know better.

But honestly, the person who was in charge is infamous for targeting 'dangerous' topics for exploitation and popularity ratings.

Mikey wrote: Like the fact the for a couple of hundred years the middle class have been doing very similar activities and seen as alright as a leisure activity because it involves people with money.

Mikey wrote:
I personally don't understand how people see this as entertainment and couldn't imagine my own dog being involved in something like this it would break my heart.

LyndaW wrote:People who see dog fighting as entertainment are not worthy as being classed as human beings.

They are not like you and I; their dogs are not loved AT ALL but are brutalised to provide "sport" and ultimately money.

We may never be able to understand their mindset or even introduce an ounce of compassion, but they MUST be stopped in their medieval practices.