L.A. READY TO CRACK DOWN ON... BLOOD SPORTS.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer

After decades of haphazard enforcement of dog fighting and cockfighting laws, Los Angeles is poised to crack down on animal blood sports with its first task force dedicated to combating animal cruelty.

The proposed force, expected to be approved by police commissioners today, would combine the expertise of animal-control officers with the muscle of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Its goal: To not only prevent animals from being mauled or killed in bloody contests, but help prevent a culture of human and domestic violence that stems from animal abuse.

``If you can think of a way to hurt any living creature, it's been done in Los Angeles,'' said Bob Ferber, supervising attorney for the city attorney's Animal Protection Unit, which helped spur the task-force concept.

``There is no possibility of ending violence in this society as long as children can watch animal abuse go unpunished - from a Doberman lying in a pool of blood in the front yard to a pit-bull fight going on in the back yard every weekend.

``This task force is a miracle come true.''

Once popular as a gambling sport in the South, dog fighting has now become the status sport of gang members from New York to Los Angeles.

While cockfighting is prevalent in the San Fernando Valley, dog fighting is pervasive across the city, Ferber said, particularly in South Los Angeles.

The animal-cruelty task force would comprise two full-time police officers, including a detective, and five full-time animal-control officers to investigate what many believe to be a growing number of street blood sports.

It would also work with the City and District Attorney offices to prosecute animal-related crimes in addition to the weapons, drugs, gambling and gang-related offenses police say often accompany the animal-fight scene.

In creating a special force to pursue animal-related crimes, Los Angeles would follow the lead of such cities as Chicago, Boston and San Francisco. Pending City Council approval, the task force should be up and running by summer.

Residents in poor neighborhoods have complained for years about howling dogs and squawking cocks at organized fights and many say a crackdown is long overdue.

``I'm excited about the prospect of what this task force can accomplish to eliminate the widespread animal abuse that occurs in Los Angeles,'' said Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, whose office helped spearhead the task-force plan.

``We know there is a distinct correlation between the mistreatment of animals and people.''

The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are 40,000 serious and hobby fighting-dog owners and breeders nationwide - with a far greater number of ``street'' fighters goaded by gang, hip-hop and inner- city culture.

Such fights are often held for a small fee around a central box, or ``pit.'' Dogs, bred for aggressiveness, are sometimes kicked into battle. Others are used as ``bait,'' to incite a taste for blood. Cocks are armed with small blades, or gaffs.

Dogs and roosters become mangled, scarred and frequently killed.

Until now, police paid little heed, Ferber and others say. And animal- control officers lacked the muscle and investigative skills to crack down on organizers. As a result, prosecutions of fight organizers and spectators fell through the cracks.

Now, in addition to gang members, some say a new generation of inner- city teens are involved in animal fights - those in it only for kicks.

``The breeding of pit bulls for fighting in this city is out of control,'' said Melya Kaplan, executive director of the Voice for the Animals Foundation, the Venice-based advocacy group that broached the task-force concept. ``We've got to stop this.

``In the past, nobody tried ... It's a violent, violent sport. There are kids there. There are animals being hurt. It's seeping into society. People in the neighborhoods are complaining - they can't stand the screaming of the dogs anymore.''

Both the Saint Martin's Animal Foundation in Acton and the Villa Lobos Pit Bull Rescue in Agua Dulce say their shelters are full of ex-fighting dogs.

``It's bad,'' said Tia Torres-Cardello, founder of Villa Lobos, who grew up in the northeast San Fernando Valley and who runs a ``Pets in the Hood'' program in juvenile halls. ``It's kids, youngsters, who are doing it - the majority of them are teenagers.''

Albert Vasquez was cruising through an alley close to home when he smelled something foul coming from a cardboard box.

Opening its lid, he discovered his two missing pit bull terriers - Rex and Princess - apparent victims of a dogfight.

``I grew up with them since they were puppies,'' said Vasquez, 20, of Los Angeles, who had raised his dogs for battle before they were stolen. ``It was like they took a shower in blood.

``I called all my friends, saying, Who would do something like that? ... They should ban (dog fighting), give 'em tickets or something, make it against the law.''

For police, combating blood sports is a way to cut down on the ``broken windows'' that can beckon other crime.

Assistant Chief Sharon Papa, a self-professed ``animal person'' who once rescued dogs and cats from her police car, introduced the task-force idea to Chief William Bratton, who said he was surprised it wasn't already being done.

``I just want people to know that we do care about this issue because there is a correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence,'' said Papa, who will lead the new team in its pilot phase.

``We really think it puts the department on the front end of intervention with kids who are at risk of going down the wrong path. If we can get them to respect a dog or animals in general, it'll make a huge difference in their respect for people.''

Though there is anecdotal evidence about animal cruelty, Papa said officers will first study the extent of the problem to justify using scarce police and Animal Services Department resources.

The Animal Services Department reports about 8,000 animal-cruelty complaints each year, most of them of the ``dog-no-food-water-shelter'' variety.

David Diliberto, director of field operations for the department, said the Los Angeles police can greatly assist his officers by doing background checks on animal-fight suspects and by wielding a big stick in tough neighborhoods.

Now, he said, his officers must walk up to a suspect's home in a gang-ridden neighborhood without a gun or handcuffs.

``This could be a 'three strike' felon, somebody wanted for murder,'' he said. ``We have no way of running their ID to see if they're a dangerous person. Having LAPD officers with us, I think our officers will be more inclined to arrest people on the spot for animal cruelty.

``It's a win-win situation all around. It's going to make the quality of life for animals in this city much better.''

Dana Bartholomew, [phone]

dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Bozo stares out from a cage at the Villalobos Pit Bull Rescue in Agua Dulce, which is full of former fighting dogs.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer