Federal Agencies Launch Coordinated Crackdown on Dogfighting Operations

The compliance rate of dog breeding facilities with the Animal Welfare Act jumped from 67 to 92 percent between 2015 and 2025.

A behavior specialist and a female terrier pit bull dog at an ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) center in New York City, on July 18, 2024. Adam Gray/Getty Images

Multiple federal agencies are launching a coordinated effort to crack down on dogfighting activities in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a Feb. 18 statement.

In addition to the USDA, other agencies involved in the coordinated effort include the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services.