AR-News: Louisiana Bans Hog Dog Fighting`

[Political Animal]

'Hog-dog rodeo' ban ready for Blanco's signature
Friday, May 21, 2004 
By Ed Anderson
Capital bureau 
BATON ROUGE -- The bloody rural spectator events known
as "hog-dog rodeos," in which dogs chase down and
sometimes maul pigs, will be outlawed Aug. 15 after
Gov. Kathleen Blanco signs into law a bill that passed
the Legislature on Thursday. 

Shortly after the House gave 102-0 approval to minor
Senate changes to House Bill 1244 by Rep. Warren
Triche, D-Thibodaux, outlawing the rodeos, Blanco
spokesman Roderick Hawkins said she will honor the
will of the Legislature and sign it into law. 

The House last month gave the measure initial passage
75-25, and the Senate approved it 33-0 with minor
changes Wednesday. 

Triche asked the House to go along with the changes,
and members concurred with no debate -- a far cry from
when Triche first proposed the bill amid animal sounds
on the House floor while wearing a plastic pig's nose.


The bill outlaws what Triche calls "a barbaric
practice" by making it a crime to organize, promote,
advertise, sell tickets to, or attend hog-dog rodeos.
Such events, Triche said, are prevalent in East
Feliciana and Washington parishes. 

The bill also makes it a crime to operate a facility
for the rodeos or train, breed or supply hogs and dogs
for rodeos. 

Violators could be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up
to six months or both. 

In its final form, the bill exempts training dogs to
hunt or herd hogs or other livestock as long as they
do not attack them for sport in an arena. It also
allows for competitive events in which dogs are set
loose in an arena to locate and corner hogs but do not
attack them. 

The bill was supported by animal-rights advocates and
opposed by rural residents who participate in such
rodeos. Opponents complained the bill is an attack on
their way of life. 

. . . . . . . 


Ed Anderson can be reached at
eanderson at timespicayune.com or (225) 342-5810. 

Source:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1085122528224870.xml

 



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