Wisconsin Has a Dirty, Little Secret—Legal Animal Fighting
Action Alert from All-Creatures.org

FROM Alliance for Animals
April 2019

ACTION

Did you know that dog fighting is legal in the state of Wisconsin? Did you know that dogs injured or killed while fighting wolves are paid for by the Wisconsin DNR up to $2500? Not only is using dogs to fight wild animals legal in Wisconsin, it is also encouraged by state authorities.

Let Governor Evers and DNR Secretary Cole it’s a cruel tradition that needs to stop.

Governor Evers
EversInfo@wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-1212
115 East
State Capitol
Madison WI 53702

DNR Secretary Cole
preston.cole@wisconsin.gov
(608) 267-7556

INFORMATION

In the north woods of Wisconsin there is a disturbing underbelly of Wisconsin’s hunting “community” that is legally allowed to use packs against wild animals. In fact, with the absence of a permit and almost no regulations, Wisconsin has become the preeminent location for those that “hound”. Each year starting July 1 until mid-October, Wisconsin allows hounders from all over the country to descend upon our public lands, including our national forests, to pit their packs of hounds against wildlife under the guise of “training.”

If the legal animal fighting that occurs during this “training” period isn’t enough, each year dozens of hounds are allegedly killed by gray wolves that are defending their family rendezvous areas from the invading hounds. When a hound turns up dead, even under the most dubious of circumstances, the Wisconsin DNR is required under law to immediately pay the hounder $2500. If the dog is deemed to have been injured by a wolf and survived, the DNR also pays for any related veterinarian care. Wisconsin is the only state in the country to pay people for losses when deliberately placing their animals in harm’s way.

If the above isn’t maddening enough, did you know that $25 from every sale and renewal of the “Endangered Resources” license plates goes into a fund administered by the Wisconsin DNR known as the “Endangered Resources Fund?” Did you also know that the hound payouts that are not covered by federal grants come out of this fund? Wisconsin taxpayers and unwitting purchasers of license plates designed to help endangered plants and animals are paying legal dog fighters from anywhere in the country for their dead hounds.

Please help the Alliance for Animals raise awareness of what hounding is, how incredibly cruel it is to all animals involved, and who is paying for it. Please make as large a donation as you possibly can – your donation will help us launch a media campaign to let the people of Wisconsin know about hounding. 

Thank you for everything you do for animals!

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