The role of the veterinarian in combating dog fighting

Abstract

Dog Fighting occurs when two or more dogs are intentionally brought together for the purpose of Fighting, for recreative and lucrative purposes. It can be defined as a non-accidental attack between dogs. It is a criminal and illegal practice, which still takes place clandestinely in many countries. Cruelty and violence against animals are closely related to interpersonal violence. Currently, the association between these two types of violence is known as the Link Theory. The present work was designed to analyze the scientific literature about fighting dogs, highlighting the difficulties in acting and the role of the veterinarian in combating this illegal practice. The methodology adopted was an integrative search in bibliographic databases such as Scielo and Pubmed. Recognition of the link by trained professionals from different areas, including veterinary medicine, is essential for breaking the cycle of violence in which both human and animal victims are involved.