- Kris Crawford
Fighting For A Cause
Tommy Messanoand Kris Crawford
September 1, 2010
In 1996 Arizona Senator John McCain denounced the growing sport of mixed martial arts, claiming it was nothing more than human cockfighting. Months later an unrelated charity called For Pit’s Sake was formed by Kris Crawford in order to dismiss many of the negative stereotypes associated with the pit bull breed of dog.
The Knock Out Dog Fighting program was founded in 2006 specifically to stop cruelty and abuse to dogs used in the cruel world of underground dog fighting. The highest profile case of dog fighting in the United States also occurred shortly after in 2007 when star NFL quarterback Michael Vick was indicted on federal and felony charges related to his dog fighting operation.
Over the years, Knock Out dog fighting has become one of the leading anti-dog fighting youth intervention programs in the country. A key ingredient to the success of Knock Out Dog Fighting has been its close relationship with the mixed martial arts community. With a roster of MMA spokesmen that includes Frank Shamrock, Muhammed Lawal, Josh Thomson, KO Dog Fighting has worked hand and hand with MMA athletes to help at risk youths.
Caged 360 Magazine had the opportunity to speak with the founder of Knock Out Dog Fighting, Kris Crawford, who shed some light on the cruelty of dog fighting and how the MMA world has helped in her cause.
C360: What is the relationship between For Pits' Sake and KO Dog Fighting?
Crawford: For Pits' Sake is the name of our 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and Knock Out Dog Fighting is a the anti-dog fighting program of For Pits' Sake.
C360: How big of a problem is Dogfighting compared to other crimes in the US?
Crawford: Due to the fact that it's an underground activity nobody really knows the exact numbers. However, estimates can be made by arrests, the animals in the shelter, etc. Some organizations estimate that there are over 40,000 "professional" dog fighters, and over 100,000 "hobbyists" and "street fighters".
C360: What sets KO Dog Fighting apart from the other anti-dog fighting organizations?
Crawford: There are a couple of organizations out there that try to prevent dog fighting by teaching the kids how to train there pit bulls. This helps the kid develop a relationship with their dogs and bond with them. We do that do but we go much deeper. What we do is address the underlying reasons our youth are fighting dogs. Kids are usually fighting their dogs for the money or to be the tough guy in the neighborhood. So just teaching them how to train their dogs isn't enough. We have met kids who have dogs with obedience skills, but yet are still fighting them because they need the money.
We are part of the San Jose Gang Preventions Task Force, which consists of the mayor, the chief of police, the district attorney, the county supervisors, city councilmen, and many community based organizations so we are able to help these kids find and get the resources they need to get and stay out of gangs and involvement in gang-related activities.. If, we find out kids are fighting the dogs for money, we help them get the vocational training they need to make money elsewhere. If we fing they are fighting their dogs because they want to be the tough guy, we get them involved in our MMA program that is run by the Nor Cal Fight Factory in San Jose.
When working with kids who are gang impacted one of the most important things you want to work on are their refusal skills. By getting them into the gym we help them develop those refusal skills by teaching them self discipline and self-motivation in the gym. Plus being physically fit helps raise self-esteem.
There is a direct link between those who abuse animals that go on to commit violent crimes against people. At the home of animal abuser there is also likely child, elder, and spousal abuse going on. If, we can stop kids from abusing and fighting dogs we help stop the cycle of violence.
C360: The stereotype is that dog fighting only happens in poor or rural areas. Is dog fighting a problem all over the US? Could this type of cruelty happen in your own neighborhood without you ever knowing it?
Crawford: Absolutely! It actually is very prevalent in the suburbs, it’s happening everywhere. Dog fighting is not just an inner city thing. We target the hot spots where there is gang activity, but we also work in affluent neighborhoods and schools as well.
C360: What are some of the common misconceptions people have about dog fighting?
Crawford: A lot of people don’t want to get involved in stopping dogfighting because they think it’s just a "pit bull" issue. Regardless of whether it's a pit bull issue or another breed, dog fighting is a crime and animals and communities are suffering because of it. Plus, with all the evidence showing that animal abusers usually go on to commit violent crimes against people, it's worth getting involved to stop it.
Many people think that the dogs WANT to fight which is not the case. They HAVE to fight because if they don't, they are going to die. Many of these dogs are trained to fight by putting them in situations where everytime they come in contact with another dog that other dog is trying to kill him. It eventually becomes a conditioned response to fight or be killed. They don't have a choice.
That's where the difference comes in with dog fighting and MMA. People try to compare MMA to dog fighting, in MMA you have a choice whether or not to get in the cage. Guys like Anthony Johnson, Josh Thomson, and Cung Le can decide to get out of the ring when they’ve had enough. They are also not fighting to the death. The dogs don’t have a choice. So many people think the pit bull is a willing participate, and they’re not. Plus, when the dog looses, if he doesn't die in the ring, he is usually tortured.
Take Michael Vick, for example, if his dogs lost or chose not to fight he punished and tortured them. He would hook jumper cables up to their ears and throw the dogs in the pool to be electrocuted, he would hang them, drown them in five gallon buckets, or beat them to death.
C360: Talk about your work with kids in juvenile hall.
Crawford: When we talk to the kids in juvenile hall we talk establish a parallel between them and the pit bulls. Many people mistakenly think pit bulls are not worth anything and many people mistakenly think kids in juvenile hall are not good for anything either. My pit bull dogs serve as role models and show these kids that despite overwhelming obstacles it is possible to succeed. Many of The kids who get out of juvenile hall are now helping us stop dog fighting on the streets. They see that you don’t have to abuse animals to be successful at life. Our professional athletes show them that it's not a sign of power or greatness to abuse an animal.
C360: How can Caged 360 readers help your organization?
Crawford: Readers can support us in many different ways. Monetary donations are an investment in the community because they allow the Knock Out Dog Fighting program to continue our efforts to educate and empower our youth, always working toward our original goal of ending the inhumane and cruel practice of dog fighting. Online donations are the fastest and most effective way of making a difference. Readers can also log onto to our website and view the “wish list” located on our donation page. Included is a list of in kind items KODF needs for outreach work, training, and education.
While we recognize that is challenging to donate money, we are always in need of volunteers who have a passion for animals and the empowerment of our youth.
C360: Is there anyone youwould like to thank? Crawford: We’d like to thank all the fighters that have taken time out of their busy schedules to be a part of the Knock Out Dog Fighting program. The most active ones being Anthony ‘Rumble” Johnson, Brett “Da Grim” Rogers, Frank Shamrock, Josh “The Punk” Thomson, and Kim Couture. We’d also like to thank Project Label and Caged 360 for their support and helping raise awareness about the Knock Out Dog Fighting program.
