Yes. Federal authorities are still investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing people for dogfighting. Department of Justice (DOJ) releases from 2025 and 2026 describe new seizures and convictions, including a Missouri event held in May 2025 that drew participants and dogs from several states. These are documented enforcement actions. They show that the activity continues, but they do not tell us how many dogfights take place in the United States, and neither DOJ nor USDA publishes a national count of events or affected dogs in the material reviewed for this article.
What the recent cases show
The most useful way to understand current dogfighting enforcement is to look at individual cases, what they involved, and how they began. Each example below comes from an official DOJ or USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) release.
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Missouri: an out-of-state event in May 2025
A July 2026 DOJ bulletin describes an event held in Missouri in May 2025. Participants traveled from multiple states. During the search, agents recovered 16 dogs. Four of the dogs were pregnant and later gave birth to 31 puppies. The case is a clear example of animals being moved across state lines for a fight, and of the welfare consequences that follow for the dogs involved.
Oklahoma: a federal jury conviction and 190 dogs seized
In August 2025, DOJ reported that a federal jury in Oklahoma convicted Leshon Eugene Johnson on six felony counts. The counts involved possessing, selling, transporting, and delivering animals for fighting ventures. Authorities seized 190 dogs in connection with the case. The DOJ page links to a later sentencing update dated September 2026. The 190 figure is the number of dogs seized in this one case, not an estimate of how many dogs are involved in dogfighting nationally.
The DOJ’s August 4, 2025 release on the conviction quoted FBI Director Kash Patel: “The FBI will not stand for those who perpetuate the despicable crime of dogfighting.”
Georgia: a 2022 event and a 14-defendant prosecution
In June 2025, DOJ reported that all 14 defendants in a federal case stemming from a 2022 Georgia event had been sentenced. The participants came from Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Officers rescued 27 dogs at the scene, and 78 dogs were seized or rescued over the course of the investigation. Investigators recovered phones containing group texts, fight reports, videos, and photos. Those communications are often what allows investigators to connect people who appear, on the surface, to be separate participants.
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Florida and Georgia: sentences reported by USDA OIG
USDA OIG’s first-half FY 2026 report describes dogfighting-related sentences in Florida and Georgia. In the Georgia matter, investigators found 25 severely malnourished dogs. Some had fresh scarring and others had older scarring, a sign that the animals had been used in fights over a period of time. The report presents these as enforcement examples, not as a measure of how widespread the problem is.
Citizen tips that led to searches
A late-2025 DOJ bulletin describes two cases that started with information from the public. In the first, a citizen complaint led to a search of a Georgia property, where 67 dogs were rescued. In the second, a South Carolina concerned citizen’s tip prompted authorities to investigate a rural property, and 14 dogs were seized. Both examples show that a report from a member of the public can be the first step in a federal investigation.
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The federal Animal Fighting Venture Prohibition applies to animal fighting ventures that affect interstate commerce. According to DOJ’s public summary, the prohibited conduct includes:
- Sponsoring or exhibiting an animal in an animal fighting venture.
- Attending or spectating at a venture.
- Bringing a minor under 16 to a venture.
- Possessing, purchasing, selling, receiving, transporting, or delivering an animal for fighting purposes.
- Training an animal for fighting purposes.
This is a federal overview. It does not cover every state or local law, and it does not describe every possible penalty. State animal cruelty and fighting statutes can apply in addition to federal law, and local prosecutors make their own charging decisions.
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DOJ also describes dogfighting and cockfighting as potentially organized criminal activity that crosses state lines. According to DOJ, investigations into these ventures may also uncover drug trafficking, firearms offenses, gambling, property crimes, and child endangerment. Those are DOJ’s observations about the pattern in some investigations, not a description of every case.
What the numbers do and do not show
The figures in recent releases are useful for describing individual cases and program outcomes. They cannot be added together to estimate how many dogfights take place each year. The table below lists the main figures and what each one counts.
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| Figure | What it counts | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| 190 dogs seized | Dogs seized in one Oklahoma federal case, which resulted in a jury conviction | DOJ, August 2025 |
| 78 dogs seized or rescued | Dogs seized or rescued over the investigation of a 2022 Georgia event | DOJ, June 2025 |
| 67 dogs rescued | Dogs rescued in one search of a Georgia property after a citizen complaint | DOJ, late-2025 bulletin |
| More than 3,000 dogs rescued | Cumulative total through DOJ’s civil-forfeiture effort. The page does not state a year for this number, so it should not be read as an annual count. | DOJ Animal Welfare overview page, accessed 2026 |
No current national annual count of dogfighting events or dogs affected appears in the official DOJ or USDA material reviewed for this article. Anyone who sees a national percentage or total in other coverage should check whether it comes from a documented source with a stated method.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to report suspected dogfighting
DOJ lists several reporting routes. They serve different purposes, so it helps to know which one fits your situation before you call.
| Route | Jurisdiction | Type of concern | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local law enforcement | Local | Suspected activity in your area, including an immediate threat | Contact your local police or sheriff’s office |
| FBI Tip Line | Federal | Possible federal criminal activity, such as interstate ventures | Tip Line listed on DOJ’s Animal Welfare pages |
| USDA Office of Inspector General Hotline | Federal (USDA) | Not specified in DOJ’s summary of routes | Phone 1-800-424-9121, or online reporting linked from DOJ’s page |
| USDA APHIS | Federal (USDA) | Animal welfare complaints | Routes listed by DOJ |
These agencies do not share one intake process. A tip sent to one may be forwarded, but you should not assume it will reach the others. If you are unsure which route applies, start with local law enforcement, since they can refer the matter.
What to do if you have seen or suspect a fight
- Write down what you observed: the date, time, location, the number and type of animals, the vehicles involved, and any license plates. Do not record in ways that put you in danger.
- If there is an immediate threat to people or animals, call local emergency services first.
- Otherwise, report the information to local law enforcement or the appropriate federal route listed above.
- Do not trespass, follow vehicles, or try to watch a property more closely.
- Do not confront suspected participants, and do not attempt to rescue or handle injured animals yourself. Local animal control or law enforcement can arrange appropriate support.
- Avoid posting unverified accusations online. Investigators rely on accurate tips, and public accusations can compromise an investigation or harm people who are not involved.
DOJ’s pages do not provide a single nationwide emergency response protocol, so local emergency services and local guidance take priority when someone is at immediate risk.
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