He’s a lover, not a fighter: rehabilitated fight dog hopes for new home

MASON CITY – Recently, an elderly pit bull was found running stray in the rural part of Cerro Gordo County. The dog, now named Rocky, was brought to the Mason City Stray Animal Shelter (co-located and managed by the Humane Society of North Iowa).

Upon entry, shelter staff noticed several abnormalities in Rocky’s appearance: his face is covered of deep scars from scratches and puncture wounds, his ears have been cut below the scalp line, and he has numerous additional scars on the rest of his body. All of these conditions led the shelter to believe that Rocky was once a “pit dog” used for dog fighting. Oftentimes, dogs involved in dogfighting have had their ears “cropped” so that an opponent dog doesn’t have anything to grab on to. In Rocky’s case, the ears have been completely removed to the point of disfigurement, causing hearing loss, infection and pain.

Dog fighting is an illegal, yet still prevalent activity in the United States. Dogfighting is a sadistic “contest” in which two dogs—specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight—are placed in a pit (generally a small arena enclosed by plywood walls) to fight each other for the spectators’ entertainment and gambling. Fights average one to two hours, ending when one of the dogs will not or cannot continue.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that over 40,000 people participate in organized dogfighting in the U.S., with thousands more taking part in impromptu street dogfighting.

Rocky, along with several other dogs that have come into the shelter over the years, indicates that dog fighting is happening in our area.
In the state of Iowa, active engagement in dogfighting is a felony offense. Being a spectator of dogfighting is an aggravated misdemeanor on the first offense, and a felony on the second offense.

Rocky has been assessed and thoroughly examined by the shelter veterinarian and staff; the results suggest that Rocky is a rehabilitated fight dog. He shows no signs of aggression and is quite a happy and friendly dog. It is clear that Rocky was once someone’s pet and he’d simply lost his way and ended up in the shelter.

Rocky was held in the shelter for the required 7 days waiting for an owner to come reclaim him. No one did. Rocky now looks for a new home where he can continue to be a beloved member of the family.

“It’s heartbreaking to think that Rocky might have been involved in the cruel world of dogfighting,” said Sybil Soukup, Executive Director of the Humane Society of North Iowa. “It is also hard to imagine based on his docile disposition, but he shows all the classic physical traits of dog fighting. We hope to find Rocky the forever home he deserves,” concluded Soukup.

Those interested in adopting Rocky are encouraged to call or visit the Humane Society of North Iowa. The organization also encourages anyone who suspects dog fighting is going on in their neighborhood to call law enforcement.

The Humane Society of North Iowa is a non-profit organization that serves a 9 county area in North Iowa and operates a no-kill rescue animal shelter in Mason City.  For more information, call the Humane Society of North Iowa at: 641-423-6241.