Update on 5/22/13: Is trunking just a sick myth? We asked an expert
A new dog-fighting trend is so savage and inhumane it’s almost hard to comprehend. It’s called “trunking.” Dahlia Canes of Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation explains it:
“They put the dogs in the trunk [of a car], lock it up, and they [drive] around, put the music on very, very loud so no one can hear it,” she said, according to ClickOnDetroit.com. “After 10 or 15 minutes, they stop. The dead dog they throw out, and the winner keeps going.”
You read that right: They put two dogs in the trunk of a car, blast the music, drive around as the dogs fight, and then when the shrieking and yelping finally stops, they pull over and throw out the dead dog.
The winner gets to fight again.
It almost sounds like an urban myth, but it’s very true: Workers at Miami-Dade Animal Services Department in Florida confirm it, saying they’ve seen many cases.
One came last week, when a good samaritan tipped the agency off to a man suspected of being involved in trunking. The tipster said that he’d seen the man repeatedly throw dogs into the trunks of cars to fight. Authorities responded and found five adults and four puppies in terrible condition at the man’s home.
“The kennels did not have any water, food, or adequate shelter,” said Luis Salgado with Miami-Dade County Animal Services. “They were in feces and urine, so the conditions were pretty bad.”
They were also covered in scars, open wounds, and teeth marks.
“There are puncture wounds,” said Salgado. “One of the dogs had a broken wrist, an injured eye. One of the dogs is just bit up all over the place and [has] open wounds on his face.”
Authorities haven’t found the owner, but he’ll face felony charges when they do. As for the dogs, the department is trying to get custody so the animals can be adopted or sent to a rescue group.
The dogs are doing well mentally, and they are very friendly with veterinarians and staff. One dog happily wagged his tail when two staff members held him tightly, even though a vet was scrubbing his wounds.
Surprsingly, only one of the dogs has been identified as a Pit Bull. Miami-Dade banned Pit Bulls 23 years ago, and the ban was upheld by voters last year. That dog will have to be adopted by someone outside of the state. Let’s hope they all find good homes.
