What to Look For

While every dog-fighting operation is slightly different, there are some very specific things to look for that will help you determine whether or not dogs are being used to fight.  Under no circumstances should you attempt to investigate a situation yourself - you should always contact law enforcement or animal control.  There is almost always other illegal activity occurring within dog-fighting circles, so it is essential that you do not put yourself at risk.

These conditions are not exclusionary.  That is, if you recognize some but not all of the scenarios here, the location in question might still be one where dog-fighting (or raising, breeding or training dogs to fight) may be occurring.  If the examples below match a situation in your neighborhood, contact your local department of humane law enforcement or animal control, or call the police.

Patterns

Do you noticed more traffic to and from a location during specific days of the week, at specific times?  Can you hear dogs barking during those times?

Location

Fighting dogs will often be staked out in a yard, attached to barrels or dog-houses by a heavy chain.  You may find multiple dogs in a yard that are staked out close enough to each other that they can see each other, but not close enough to actually touch each other.