Gerard Cavlan - Action against Dogfighting

To:  GAA

Gerard Cavlan, 30, a member of Tyrone’s 2003 All-Ireland Championship-winning side, helped to run an operation in which pit bull terriers were brutally pitched against each other.

He has been secretly filmed boasting about the animals’ strength and skill in a fight and claimed to have up to 15 dogs. Cavlan reportedly said of a dog: “Sure he had him in the chest, and he shook him and he shook him for 25 minutes. If he hadn’t got you killed in half an hour… he was in trouble, you know. A real hard-mouthed dog.”

He has already been fined the sum of £650 (€960) after pleading guilty to possession of a dangerous dog, and banned for five years from keeping certain breeds.

A BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight investigation says that Cavlan is actually the joint owner of a Co Armagh-based dog fighting operation known as The Bulldog Sanctuary Kennels. The investigation also uncovered a trail to Finland where breeders prepare animals from as young as 10 months to be exported to the North where they are forced to fight each other. These fights result in horrific injuries to the dogs and often in the death of one or both dogs.

Cavlan is considered to be a role model in Ireland as he is a prominent Gaelic Footballer, playing in the Tyrone team.

We feel very strongly that Gerard Cavlan does not deserve to lead such a privileged lifestyle as a Gaelic Footballer when his hobby is to terrify, hurt and abuse animals for his own pleasure.

Animals are not disposable and dog fighting IS NOT a sport - it's a crime. We refer to the American footballer, Michael Vick, who is expected to be suspended from his team for similar activities in dogfighting and wewould expect the GAA to show no more leniency than their American counterparts.

We therefore request that the GAA permanently suspend Gerard Cavlan.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Gerard Cavlan - Action against Dogfighting Petition to GAA was created by and written by Jane Haggerstone (jhaggerstone@eircom.net).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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