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Two smiling women sit on a courtroom floor with a smiling dog.

Prosecutors Jessica Rock, right, and K.C. Pagnotta pose with Baby Shark — who was rescued from the alleged dogfighting operation as a puppy in 2022 — at the sentencing last week. Jessica Rock hide caption

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Jessica Rock

National

A man was sentenced to 475 years for dogfighting. The sport is surprisingly prevalent

A man who was arrested with over 100 dogs and equipment at his Georgia home got the maximum sentence last week. Prosecutors hope it sheds light on the prevalence of dogfighting, a felony in the U.S.

A Department of Defense official faces up to 5 years in prison in dogfighting case

Frederick Moorefield Jr., deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, was charged last month with dogfighting. If convicted, he could face up to five years in a federal prison. Department of Defense hide caption

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Department of Defense

Law

A Department of Defense official faces up to 5 years in prison in dogfighting case

Frederick Moorefield Jr., a deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, allegedly used an encrypted messaging app to discuss dogfighting with people across the U.S.

In A First, Connecticut's Animals Get Advocates In The Courtroom

University of Connecticut law professor Jessica Rubin, left, and law student Taylor Hansen present arguments as animal advocates in a dogfighting case in Hartford on Tuesday. Connecticut is the first state to allow court-appointed advocates to represent animals in cruelty and abuse cases. Pat Eaton-Robb/AP hide caption

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Pat Eaton-Robb/AP

The Two-Way

In A First, Connecticut's Animals Get Advocates In The Courtroom

The state's legal advocates are one sign of the emerging field of animal law. In 2000, nine law schools had courses in animal law; by 2015, that number was 151.

Along With Assault And Arson, FBI Starts To Track Animal Abuse

These pit bull puppies in St. Louis were among the hundreds seized across seven states in 2009 in the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history. Jeff Roberson/AP hide caption

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Jeff Roberson/AP

Law

Along With Assault And Arson, FBI Starts To Track Animal Abuse

The new effort could help save animals — and, perhaps, people: Research shows that animal abuse is often a precursor to acts of violence against people.

Along With Assault And Arson, FBI Starts To Track Animal Abuse

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