OCEANSIDE -- In an effort to curb illegal dog fighting by providing a safe and harmless alternative, the North County Humane Society announced Thursday that it will host the city's first Macho Dog Contest in December in Oceanside.
Julie Bank, the Humane Society's executive director, said the idea comes from the East Coast, where a growing number of cities have begun hosting a program called Lug-Nuts that encourages owners of strong breeds such as pit bulls to pull weighted sleds rather than fighting other dogs.
Bank said the idea is to give owners a way to prove their dog is tough without bloodshed or the abusive training techniques often used on fighting dogs like the ones recently seized from pro football quarterback Michael Vick.
"Some people really thrive on the 'machoness' of their dogs, and, if we are not going to stop fighting, then we might as well provide alternatives," Bank said.
The Humane Society announced the contest at a forum Thursday at the Oceanside Civic Center, where participants were to discuss dog and cock fighting in and around Oceanside. Most of the talks centered on dogs.
The Macho Dog Contest, planned for Dec. 15 at an as-yet undetermined city park, is not restricted to any one breed. All shapes and sizes will be welcome.
Dogs will be judged not on the total amount of weight they can pull, but rather on the percentage of their total body weight they can move a short distance. A special harness is used to make sure that the dogs are not harmed as part of the competition. Bank said that Petco Inc. has tentatively agreed to sponsor the event, which will award prizes to the winner.
More details, including the location of the contest, will be posted on the Humane Society's Web site at www.nchumane.org once they are available.
Bank said her office regularly receives calls of suspected dog fights.
Seth Heilig, the society's supervisor of field services, said that the city currently has no open dog fighting cases, but added that he believes there is a fair amount of "street level" dog fighting going on in some neighborhoods.
"Is this happening? Absolutely. Do we have a lot of reports on it? No." Heilig said.
"They're meeting up at the park or at the beach or down at the riverbed and the next thing you know, there is a fight," added Bank.
Both said that cock fighting is much more organized than dog fighting in coastal North County. Several raids on cock fighting operations have already netted 100 fighting birds this year.
Telltale signs of dog fighting include:
- a fighting ring or pit that measures 14 by 20 feet with 2- to 3-foot-tall wood walls;
- dogs wearing heavy chains used to strengthen neck muscles;
- more than three pit bulls with obvious fighting scars living at one location and kept in separate cages;
- heavy traffic with multiple dogs present, especially on weekends; and
- training and fighting equipment including: treadmills, weight scales, hanging chains and tires.
The Humane Society urges residents to report suspected animal fighting at (760) 757-HELP.
Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or psisson@nctimes.com.
