Nine-year-old boys typically spend their free time playing video games, shooting baskets, riding bicycles, watching TV, and eating snacks. But when Terrence Murphy was 9, he witnessed his first dogfight. He and a friend went to the backyard of an older neighbor and watched as two dogs bit and attacked each other.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. illegal; 2. excited; 3. steroid; 4. previouslysteroidslegalThe fight is the culmination of a cruel process. Training for dogfights includes having dogs run for exhausting amounts of time on a treadmill and also injecting dogs with steroids and other drugs to make them more aggressive.Terrence, who lives in Chicago, Illinois, knew that people bet money on which dog would win, but that's not why he went. "I just thought it was cool," he tells Choices.* According to Terrence, Elmo was afraid of him at first. Why do you think this was the case? What happened to change their relationship for the better?excitedTerrence turned down the offer, but a week later he was at a dogfight where he witnessed a dog owner beating his dog badly--because the dog wouldn't fight. Watching someone beat his own pet didn't sit well with Terrence. "That's when I was like, 'I'm going to change my mind,'" he says. "I decided to check up on those classes Sean was talking about."TEST YOURSELFRESOURCESillegalEmaciated: marked by an abnormal thinness caused by inadequate nutrition or by diseaseBut the cruelty of dogfighting was lost on Terrence. "It used to be fun to watch the dogs fight," he says. "I wanted to see which ones would lose and which ones would win."4 Sean Moore had -- trained dogs to fight before joining the End Dogfighting campaign.Use the words below to complete each statement. Note: You won't use all the words. Answers are in the Teacher's Edition.SUMMARY: THIS ARTICLE EXPLAINS HOW A TEENAGER WENT FROM THINKING DOGFIGHTING WAS COOL--AND ALMOST TURNING HIS OWN PET INTO A FIGHTING DOG--TO BECOMING AN ADVOCATE WORKING TO PROTECT DOGS AND KEEP THEM OUT OF FIGHTING PITS.In a dogfight, two dogs are placed in a pit with each dog's owner standing in opposite corners. The dogs are released and attack each other. The fight can last a few minutes or a few hours. It ends when one dog will not or cannot continue. The dogs are often badly injured and some die. Dogfighting is so awful that it's a crime for people to participate in it.Terrence and Elmo passed the course. Their relationship changed too. "At first, Elmo used to be scared of me," Terrence says. "He would jump away. After a while, we started being friends. He listens to me better."* At the end of the article, Terrence says people should be kind to their dogs. Is he talking just to people who own fighting dogs? Explain your answer.1 When he first saw dogfights, Terrence says he thought they were cool. Why do you think he reacted that way?1 it is to -- hold dogfights in the United States.ANSWERSAnd you won't see Terrence at any more dogfights, either. "Dogfighting is not good, and it's an inhumane act," Terrence says, "so be kind to your dog and be a good dog owner."previouslyalcoholThe classes were part of the Humane Society's Pit Bill Training Team. "The idea is to engage the young men and their dogs," says Jeff Jenkins, lead trainer for the End Dogfighting campaign. "We teach formal obedience in a firm but fair and positive manner. We have many dogs that are remarkably well-trained."ADDITIONAL ACTIVITYAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): www.aspca.org /fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fightingEventually, Terrence decided he wanted to train a dog to fight. When he was 12, he found a stray pit bull in an alley. The dog was about 3 years old and emaciated. Terrence brought the dog home, fed it, and named it Elmo--after the furry red puppet on Sesame Street--because of the dog's red nose.horrifiedScan used to train dogs to fight, but stopped after he had to put down one of his favorite dogs because it was gravely injured during a fight. Scan now spends his time educating young people about the dangers of dogfighting. He told Terrence that dogfighting wasn't the right thing to do, and he invited Terrence and Elmo to join a free training class. There, Terrence would learn how to safely train his dog.* Had you ever heard of dogfights before reading this article? What do you think of the idea of having two dogs fight each other?3 To prepare dogs to fight, their owners often inject them with --.A Boy and His DogOnline Information: The Humane Society's EndNow 14, Terrence has taken in another pit bull, which he named Cookie Monster. He takes Cookie Monster to training classes and also helps other people train their dogs. Terrence's message is simple: "Treat your dog right," he says. "Don't hit it or yell at it. Give it a lot of food and spend time with it. It's all about how you train your dog. If you train it to be a good dog, then that's how it's going to grow up. If you train it to be a bad dog, then that's how it's going to grow up."Family members and friends urged Terrence not to turn Elmo into a fighting dog, but he didn't listen. Fortunately, Terrence was on his way to a dogfight with Elmo when he was stopped by Scan Moore of the End Dogfighting campaign sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States.2 What incident did Terrence witness that changed his mind and made him realize that dogfighting was wrong? Why do you think the incident affected Terrence as it did?neverSAT/ACT WORDDogfighting Campaign: www.humanesociety.org/issues /dogfighting/end_dogfighting.html* Based on the fact that dogfighting was a common occurrence in Terrence's neighborhood, does it surprise you that he grew up thinking it was normal?Teaching point: This activity will help students understand the concept of personal responsibility. Michael Vick is an NFL quarterback who was convicted of running a dogfighting ring. The crimes Vick committed included torturing and killing dogs. Vick served his prison time and is now back playing football in the NFL. Have students research the Vick case in preparation for a debate. The debate question: Should Vick be allowed to resume his career in the NFL after having served his sentence, or does the seriousness of his crimes outweigh any right he has to play in the NFL again? Divide the class in half, and assign each group one side of the argument.Terrible Training2 Terrence was -- after watching dogs fight for the first time.Reformed and Reaching OutTHE MICHAEL VICK DOGSBest Friends Animal Society: www.bestfriends.org
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): www.aspca.org /fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fighting
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