Dog Fighting Laws Getting Tougher in VA

On Monday, the VA Senate approved tougher laws for dog fighting, the legislation passing unanimously. Virginia, the state brought to the forefront with Michael Vick’s dog fighting notoriety, is just one of the states to toughen its laws since then.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine supports the legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously on Monday and previously had cleared the House of Delegates. It’s unclear when he would sign it.

Several states have toughened their animal-fighting laws after the high-profile Vick case.

The bill would make attendance at any organized animal fight, not just dogfights, a felony.

The bill contains other provisions regarding how property searches are conducted in animal cruelty cases and the use of substances and equipment to improve the animals’ fighting ability.

A federal law that took effect last year makes animal fighting activities that cross state lines felonies rather than misdemeanors.

Idaho made dogfighting a felony there in a bill signed into law last week, leaving Wyoming as the last state where it is only a misdemeanor. (FOX News)

And even now, Wyoming is working to join the rest of the states in making dog fighting a felony.