Anti-Dogfighting Advertising Campaign Launched in Atlanta

In January 2008, The Humane Society of the United States and Atlanta-based Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation initiated an aggressive campaign to tackle dogfighting in Georgia. The groups have now launched the newest phase of their campaign, consisting of an unprecedented outdoor advertising campaign to tackle dogfighting in the Atlanta area.

"Thanks to the contributions made by the Holland M. Ware Foundation and Norred & Associates Inc., two Georgia-based establishments, The Humane Society of the United States has been able to put forth an extraordinary effort to root out some of the country's largest and most prolific dogfighting operations," said Ann Chynoweth, senior director of The HSUS' animal cruelty and fighting campaign.

The outdoor advertising campaign announced today promotes The HSUS' animal fighting tip line, 877-TIP-HSUS, as well as the up-to-$5,000 reward for tips leading to animal fighting arrests — showcasing that reporting animal fighting and being eligible to receive a sizeable reward is as simple as making one toll-free phone call. Billboards and bus shelter ads have been placed in areas known for heavy dogfighting in DeKalb, Gwinett, Clayton, Fulton, Rockdale, Cobb, Jackson and Paulding counties.

In addition to this latest facet, here are a few of the many milestones that have been reached in the battle against dogfighting in Georgia in the last year:

-Hundreds of reports of animal fighting have been called into The HSUS' tip line, leading to dozens of investigations by Norred & Associates, The HSUS and law enforcement agencies.
-Georgia Gov. Sonny Purdue signed legislation strengthening the state's dogfighting law on May 16, 2008.
-Georgia law enforcement agencies have initiated eight dogfighting prosecutions.
Many of those arrested are nationally-known, major players in the underground dogfighting world. Their operations have been shut down and their dogs seized.
-Due to its success in Georgia, The HSUS' animal fighting tip line has been expanded to help combat animal fighting in neighboring Florida.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page