Racist gang breeds killer dogs from inside prison walls

Fighting dogs bred in California

source: James Palmer
Independent February 2 2001 p17

Investigators claim that two imprisoned members of the Aryan Brotherhood are running a breeding operation to create fighting dogs, despite being in prison. This claim follows the death of San Francisco teacher, Diane Whipple, killed by a cross-breed mastiff called Bane, which ripped out her throat.

Bane was a cross between an English mastiff and a preso canario, and belonged to the inmates’ two lawyers. Bane was raised with other dogs at a remote farm in the north of California. The lawyers have admitted that inmates are giving instructions on breeding dogs, but say nothing illegal is being done. The farm is owned by a prison visitor who says she was told to teach the dogs to be killers. She was threatened by gang members when she refused, according to a prison officer. A past lawyer of the inmates argues that the dogs were being bred to have their portraits painted, rather than as fighting dogs. Detectives are investigating a number of attacks to see if these dogs have been responsible.

Dog fighting has grown into an important business activity in California, despite being illegal. Pit bulls were initially used, but then fight promoters started to develop crosses between mastiffs and fighting dogs. These dogs are then trained to be aggressive by being isolated, praised for aggression, and having food withheld, while being taunted with prey animals they are sometimes allowed to catch and eat.

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