BUSINESSMEN MAKE A KILLING FROM DOG FIGHTS

MBABANE – An underground world, where dog fighting is becoming a highly syndicated and criminal activity, is said to be gaining popularity in remote forest areas in some part of the kingdom.

Huge bets are placed in a bloodspot where dogs are pitted against each other. The dogs maul and tear each other to death or until one becomes so weak that it fails to scratch.

The owner of the winning dog collects the bet price and a bet per dog fight can range from anything between E5 000 to E10 000. Fights usually take place in remote locations, and are arranged at short notice, to avoid authorities.

A makeshift stadium, deep inside parts of the forests in Manzini, by Mafutseni and another one near Ngculwiuni, is where the dog owners pit the animals against each other.

Some of the dog owners come from as far as neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique to pit their dogs against others during contests.
According to some who have witnessed the dog fights, participants travel to the kingdom in foreign registered cars with their dogs locked in cages.
The dogs are said to be bred and highly trained for the kill. The last contest was said to have been staged in December. The dog fights are held not only in the country but in other countries as well.

“Most of these dogs are American Pit Bulls, which are known to be one of the most vicious dog breeds. So vicious are the dogs even during training that I saw one bite through a brick wall. The dogs are thoroughly trained for this event to up their jumping and hard biting skills,” said one of our sources.

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