A Brutal Sport Is Having Its Day Again in Russia, reports the New York Times. Although formally prohibited in the City of Moscow, dogfighting (generally using dogs such as Caucasian Ovcharkas and Central Asian shepherd dogs) is not illegal in Russia. The fighting breeds are called "volkodavs" (wolf killers) and the pretext of the fighting trials (which are at least refereed and are not carried on to the point of serious injury or death) is to prove the courage and fighting capabilities of dogs that supposedly provide protection against wolves -- although it is questionable whether fights between livestock guard dogs prove anything about wolf protection. The All-Russian Association of Russian Volkodavs claims 1000 breeders and another 1000 owners and holds fights almost openly in rural Russia.
Posted by jjeffrey at February 10, 2007 05:31 PM