Dog Fighting

Dog fighting and animal abuse are criminal activities and require police intervention. The only agency equipped and trained to properly handle and prosecute incidences of dog fighting and animal abuse is the police department.

Citizen’s Guide to Dog Fighting and Animal Cruelty

Since PAWS Chicago’s founding in 1997, the number of homeless dogs and cats killed annually has dropped more than 50 percent. PAWS Chicago is working to build a No Kill Chicago—a city where pets are no longer destroyed just because they are homeless.

What you should know and how to respond

  • Contact your alderman and ask him/her to help to actively encourage the Chicago Police Department to increase their efforts against this heinous crime. Click here to find your alderman.

  • Become a court advocate. Sign up to be a court advocate in partnership with CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) and the Chicago Police Department. Court advocates are an integral part in fighting animal violence. Contact Stephanie Packard Bell, CAPS Court Advocacy Coordinator at (312) 747-9983 to learn more.

  • Print out educational materials and get involved in community outreach.

  • Contact the PAWS Chicago Community Outreach Coordinator if you are interested in working in inner city communities and educating adults and children on the humane treatment of animals. PAWS works directly with the City of Chicago CAPS program.

Did you know? Dog Fighting and animal cruelty are both felony offenses. Call 911 immediately if you know of a fight or act in progress. You may request that your call be anonymous.



Special thanks to Sabrina Nizzi for dog and cat videography.

Additional thanks to Sebastian Sparenga Photography, Heather Haseley, Dan Kasberger, Jennifer Girard, Malia Rae Photography, Richard Chen, Oscar Mendez, and Von Buzard for event and animal photography used on this Web site.

PAWS Chicago, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been awarded a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, the country's premier independent charity evaluator. Contributions to PAWS Chicago are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. PAWS Chicago is only able to help homeless animals because of your donations. We receive no city, state or federal funding.

PAWS Chicago's Forms 990 are viewable at guidestar.org

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