SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Pedro Nava and Eric Sakach, West Coast Director for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) held a Capitol press conference today to announce the introduction of legislation making it a felony offense to be a spectator at a dogfight. California is the only Western state where dogfight spectators are prosecuted as a misdemeanor.

Assemblymember Nava’s legislation will change the California Penal Code Section 597.5 (b) making it a felony “for any person who is knowingly present as a spectator at any place, building or tenement where preparations are being made for an exhibition of fighting dogs or is knowingly present at that exhibition.”  Presently, under this code section it is only a misdemeanor.

Last year, dogfighting was brought to the nation’s attention due to the Michael Vick case. According to recent statistics, it is estimated that 40,000 people are involved in organized dog fighting and that more than 250,000 dogs die annually. Dogfighting is currently illegal in all 50 states, and in 48 states it is illegal to be a spectator.  Spectators provide much of the profits associated with illegal dogfighting through admission fees and gambling enterprises.  Nineteen states have made it a felony to be a spectator; however, California is not one of them.

 “Recent events around the country brought to our consciousness this brutal and inhumane sport.  It is imperative that California join the 19 other states which have made it a felony to be a spectator at a dog fight,” said Nava. “I look forward to working with the Humane Society to get this measure to the Governor’s desk to address this brutal sport.”

"Dogfighting is a despicable and indefensible practice," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.  "Spectators finance dogfights through admission fees and gambling, and California's law is deficient in handling these people who cheer and enable this cruelty.  The Humane Society of the United States strongly backs Assemblyman Nava's efforts to crack down on the entire cast of characters involved in dogfighting."

Recent statistics are on the rise according to Pet-Abuse.com, a web-site that tracks dogfighting citations.  Since 2005 there have been 451 reported cases of dogfighting in the United States.