Florida prosecutors and sheriffs across all 67 counties are calling on Congress to pass three federal bills designed to crack down on organized animal fighting, animal cruelty, and animal trafficking.

Support for the Bills

The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association (FPAA) and the Florida Sheriffs’ Association have endorsed the No Flight, No Fight Act, the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act, and the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act.

Advocacy group Animal Wellness Action is pushing Florida’s congressional delegation to back all three measures, which target online gambling and live streaming connected to animal fights, permit civil forfeiture of property tied to animal fighting, and block the shipping of mature fighting birds through the U.S. Postal Service.

Combined, the legislation targets illegal fighting operations across several areas, including investigation, prosecution, gambling, property usage, and transport by air or mail.

Impact on Florida

Local investigations across Florida have uncovered cockfighting rings involving injured birds, specialized fighting gear, and organized gambling events.

“Florida has a serious animal fighting problem, and our law enforcement officers are often the ones left to deal with the consequences,” said Laurie Hood, Florida state director for Animal Wellness Action.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.