“Federal legislation is so weak right now that only, I believe, one quarter of people who get charged are convicted,” said SPCA board member Sean Kelly.

Kelly said participants can only be charged for cruelty to animals, but banning dog fights would make it easier to convict abusers.

The government seemed receptive, with agriculture minister Brooke Taylor saying he would work to see such laws put in place.

The organization also called for the government to ban cosmetic surgeries such as ear cropping and declawing on animals.

Kelly said veterinarians often refuse to do such surgeries, which drives owners to do the surgeries themselves without proper anesthetics.

“If they did it themselves, that’s cruel. I’m worried that within the (Animal Protection) Act they’re going to try and find some way out of it,” said Kelly.

“So if we just point blank make it all illegal, then we can charge them under the act.”

Taylor said he’d need to study the SPCA proposal before making a decision.

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