The Arrest of a Dogfighter in Ayr Provides a Rare Glimpse into the Utterly Despicable Abuse that Bait Cats Are Subjected to but the Scottish SPCA Still Stubbornly Persists in Treating Them as Expendable Nonentities

Mark Cuthbert, Two of His Dogs, and What Appears to Be a Dead Fox

 "One harrowing video shows the three dogs attacking a domestic cat in a field which is fighting for its life. It's clear that the cat was caused horrendous suffering and many of the cats will have suffered long, tortuous deaths."

-- the Scottish SPCA

Acting upon a tip that he was keeping fighting dogs, undercover investigators from the Scottish SPCA on March 16, 2018 raided the home of forty-two-year-old Mark Cuthbert of Ayr, sixty kilometers south of Glasgow. Once inside, not only were their worst suspicions confirmed but they quickly were apprised of the petit fait that dogfighting claims the lives of far more animals than just canines. 

Right off the bat they discovered a trio of Patterdale Terriers that quite obviously had been used as fighting dogs. Digger, a brown female, had an injury to her lower lip. Tally, a brown female puppy, apparently did not have any visible scars.

Those two dogs were seized by the SPCA and were reportedly later rehomed. It did however unconscionably kill the third member of the trio, a black male with blotches of white named Billy, after he attacked an employee of the organization.

Such an unjust decision totally ignored the fact that it was not his fault that Cuthbert had brought him up to be violent. Moreover, the SPCA surely could have found a sanctuary that would have offered him a home and rehabilitated him.

Even if the organization had been too lazy and cheap to have done that much for him, it could have found either some capitalist or militarist to have hired him as a guard dog. There certainly was not any need for it to have killed him.

 

An undisclosed number of bait cats and one rat also were found in the home as well as an assortment of dogfighting paraphernalia, such as tracking collars, nets, and traps. Much like yobs who get their perverted jollies by beating homeless men to death with baseball bats and golf clubs, Cuthbert was not satisfied with merely killing dogs, cats, and other animals but he additionally could not resist the overpowering temptation to keep a record of his criminality so that he could continue to enjoy his acts of despicable cruelty over and over again for the remainder of his miserable existence.

The SPCA accordingly found on his mobile telephone a trove of videos and stills of dead cats, badgers, and foxes. "One harrowing video shows the three dogs (Billy, Digger, and Tally) attacking a domestic cat in a field which is fighting for its life," one of the inspectors told The Scotsman of Edinburgh on October 2, 2019. (See "Scottish Man Jailed after Buying Cats on Gumtree to Use as Bait for His Dogs to Kill.") "It's clear that the cat was caused horrendous suffering and many of the cats will have suffered long, tortuous deaths."

Billy Was Unjustly Killed Off by the Scottish SPCA

           

All of that goes without saying but while he had the wind up the undercover agent deemed it to be an opportune moment for him to treat the public to a proverbial feast of his highfalutin, albeit vacuous, rhetoric. "We investigate reports of animal fighting every week and the imagery and videos we discovered on his phone are some of the most depraved and upsetting we have seen," he swore to The Scotsman. "This is a truly horrific case of animal cruelty where we suspect dozens of animals have suffered mentally and physically at the hands of Mark Cuthbert."

After blowing off that head of steam, he quickly turned tail and ran for cover behind his organization's old familiar saw. "His inhumane treatment of animals is completely unacceptable," he swore no doubt with a puffed out chest.

Oh, really? Then why does dogfighting so stubbornly persist in Scotland as well as in practically every other country in the world? It is even perfectly legal in Japan, parts of Russia, Albania, and Morocco.

Even more revolting than the Scottish SPCA's total unwillingness to eradicate this scourge is its outrageous anti-cat bias. For instance, although it went overboard in order to describe Billy, Digger, and Tally, their injuries, and final dispositions, it could not be bothered with even mentioning the number of cats that it had seized from Cuthbert's house, let alone their names and injuries.  

The organization likewise refused to detail the number of images of dead cats and other animals that it found on his phone. C'est-à-dire, the SPCA is only concerned with the welfare of dogs that kill cats; the lives of the cats, rats, badgers, foxes, and rabbits that they kill count for absolutely nothing.

Whereas the lives of fighting dogs are undeniably brutal and brief, they at least are given an opportunity to defend themselves against opponents of their own species who are of comparable size and strength. Plus, they are generously fed and well cared for, at least for as long as they continue to bring in the big bucks. That is, admittedly, not much of a life but it is still far superior to the lot of bait cats.

A Dogfight Staged by the Bloods Street Gang in a Vacant Building

They, on the other hand, are seldom if ever given so much as a prayer in Hell of prevailing when they are pitted against fighting dogs. In short, there is not anything even remotely fair or sporting about these matches; the cats are sacrificial lambs and nothing more. 

From what little is known about their lot, some of them are not even fed and watered while that they are awaiting slaughter. Furthermore, since the teeth of bait dogs are often filed down to their gums and their mouths duct-taped shut so as to prevent them from defending themselves and thus injuring the trained pugilists, it would not be in any way surprising if dogfighters did not likewise divest bait cats of both their claws and teeth.

Their lives, feelings, and abominable suffering, count for absolutely nothing. With the deck stacked so hopelessly against them, those that survive, no matter how badly mangled, are indeed few and far between. (See Cat Defender post of October 22, 2021 entitled "Condemned to Die as Dog Bait, Courageous Buzz Perseveres Just Long Enough Until He Is Somehow Able to Not Only Regain His Freedom but also to Find His Pot of Gold at the Rainbow's End.")

Astute enough to fully realize that the game was up, Cuthbert made matters real simple for the SPCA by pleading guilty to keeping the dogs, cats, and a rat for gaming purposes as well as to procuring cats to be used as dog bait. While he was in the process of making a clean chin of things, he also confessed to killing one cat at home and another one at an undisclosed location.

For his willingness to be a good chap, Cuthbert was richly rewarded in the early days of October of 2019 by the stiffs who mete out their very own perverted sense of justice at Ayr Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court with an insignificant sentence of ten months in jail and a ten-year ban on the keeping of animals. Considering the magistrates' low estimation of the value of animal lives, it is surprising that they did not order that he be given a ticker-tape parade through the streets of Ayr and that a statue be erected in his honor in the downtown area.

It is almost superfluous to point out but such a kindly tap on the wrists is not about to deter him or anyone else for that matter from engaging in dogfighting and that is especially the case when dogs that have been bred and trained for the ring can fetch as much as £2,698. On top of that, there are beaucoup bucks to be made by wagering on these cruel spectacles.

Since it is well-known that dogfighting rings exist not only throughout the United Kingdom but in neighboring western and eastern European countries as well, if either the courts or the Scottish SPCA were even the least bit serious about eradicating this diabolical sport they would have confined Cuthbert to some hellhole prison and left him there to rot until he spilled the beans on his confederates. That is the only way that so much as a dent is ever going to be made in this shameful business. (See the BBC, February 13, 2019, "Inside the Illegal World of Organized Dogfighting.")

Sinbad and Sailor Were Intended to Be Used as Alligator Bait

During the course of its investigation, the SPCA also discovered that Cuthbert had been purchasing his cats and kittens on the London-based web site, Gumtree. "After contacting Gumtree, we found correspondence between Cuthbert and people who had listed their cats on the site which led us to believe large numbers of cats were uplifted from pet owners who trusted their cats were going to a good, safe home," the SPCA investigator revealed to the BBC on October 2, 2019. ( See "Dog Fighting (sic): Man Bought Cats on Gumtree as Live Bait.")     

Unwilling to have left bad enough alone, the investigator added a few words of gratuitous advice. "If you are using an online service to find a new home for, or sell, your pet, please be vigilant and ensure your pet is going to a safe environment," he counseled. "If you are suspicious, do not continue with the sale and notify the Scottish SPCA as soon as possible."

The obvious problem with worn-out and trite palaver of that caliber is that owners who offer up their cats and kittens online and in newspapers do not care what is going to become of them; the only thing that they are concerned with is getting rid of them as easily and as quickly as possible. The same is equally true of those owners who abandon their cats to the streets and fields, dump them at shelters, and pay unscrupulous veterinarians (is there any other kind?) to dispatch them to the devil.

               

"We are shocked to hear of this case and we worked with the Scottish SPCA to provide the relevant information to help ensure this individual was brought to justice," a spokesperson for Gumtree crowed to The Scotsman. "We take the welfare of animals very seriously and work hard to ensure our site is a safe place to find pets in need of rehoming."

That is pretty lame to say the least. First of all, it only took action after it had been contacted by the SPCA and even then its only contribution to this investigation was to hand over routine bookkeeping data. By that time, countless cats and kittens had been devoured by Cuthbert's dogs.

Secondly, if its alleged commitment to the welfare of cats is to be taken seriously it needs to be proactive but so far it has not demonstrated a commitment to doing even that much. "We do not tolerate users on our site who we believe are encouraging or indicate signs of animal cruelty, and work with law enforcement and other organizations to prevent misuse of the platform," it would like the public to believe.

That is hardly good enough. For instance, by the time that Gumtree ever gets around to notifying the SPCA the damage already has been done and the cats are in all likelihood dead. Furthermore, it is hard to believe that it is about to go to the trouble and expense of thoroughly vetting those individuals who sell and buy cats on its web site. It most assuredly does not conduct follow-up home visits which would be the only way that it ever could determine the disposition of the cats that are sold on its platform.

Jaxson with a Cat and a Kitten in an Obviously Staged Photograph

Besides, dogfighters are most definitely not the only individuals who purchase cats and kittens on the dark web with nefarious purposes in mind. For example, doing so is a favorite tactic of vivisectors, fur traffickers, feline flesh purveyors, the operators of small animal circuses and stage shows and, perhaps, even breeders and the proprietors of pet stores.

Dogfighting and all other forms of blatant animal cruelty are a huge problem and Gumtree needs to decide if it wants to continue to be an integral part of that abuse and killing. Of course, banning animal trafficking on its web site will not eradicate it but at least that would cleanse Gumtree's blood-soaked hands and, quite often, that is the very best that any individual or entity can do under such trying circumstances.

Let Facebook and its affiliated sites have the abusers' business. After all, they not only richly deserve each other but are, in so many ways, two of a kind.

In the United States, dogfighting used to be thought of as the sport of rednecks but of late it has gained a substantial foothold within the black community. According to research conducted by Wikipedia, it is fairly common with street gangs such as the Bloods in Los Angeles.

National Football League (NFL) players such as Michael Vick, LeShon Johnson, and Nate Newton have been arrested for engaging in it and National Basketball Association (NBA) player Qyntel Woods was arrested for dogfighting in 2004. This odious practice likewise been championed by rappers such as Jay-Z and the late DMX.

Even Nike has embraced it in its advertising campaigns. "People have to understand the youth culture we cater to," representative of the shoe manufacturer pedantically lectured the Chicago Sun-Times on June 17, 2007. (See "The Sick Hipness of Dog Fighting.") "Our market is the urban, edgy, hip-hop culture."

In other words, Nike does not have any scruples whatsoever and therefore does not care how low that it is forced to stoop for its billions and much the same thing can be said for the NFL, NBA, the hip-hop music industry, and sans doute countless other entities to boot. Although it is not known if blacks use bait cats in order to train their dogs to fight and kill, it would not be surprising if they did considering their abject neglect of and antipathy toward the species. (See Cat Defender posts of October 5, 2006, July 30, 2009, May 1, 2010, and May 19, 2019 entitled, respectively, "New Jersey Teens' Idea of Fun: Beat Up a Defenseless Kitten and Then Burn It to Death," "Ferals Living at a Baltimore Church Find Out the Hard Way That Hatred of Cats Is Every Bit as Christian as Unleavened Bread and Cheap Wine," "When It Comes to Cats, Acts of Faith Count for Absolutely Nothing with the Good Christians at Northside Baptist," and "The Savage Beating Meted Out to a Volunteer in Los Angeles by a Racist Hooligan Vividly Demonstrates Just How Dangerous It Has Become to Feed Homeless Cats," plus The Fresno Bee, August 11, 2020, "Cats Found Dead -- and One Other in Pest Control Cage -- on Fresno Church Property" and the New York Post, January 25, 2021, " 'Mayor' of New York City Housing Authority Complex -- a Cat Named Tuxedo -- Killed by Pit Bulls.")

Wonder How Many Cats and Kittens That Laura Mattson Fed to Jaxson?

If the eating and mauling of cats and kittens were confined to dogfighters that would be horrific enough in its own right but that is hardly the case. They additionally are used as alligator bait.

For example, on July 18, 2010 a pair of four-week-old kittens named Sinbad and Sailor that were destined for the gators were found trussed up with fishing tackle and dangling from a vessel docked at a boatyard in Lake Worth Beach, one-hundred kilometers north of Miami. The fishing lines were wound so tightly around their tiny front paws that they were left disjointed and swollen three to four times beyond normal. 

It is estimated that they had been left in that position for at least forty-eight hours and by the time that their desperate plight was discovered by a kindhearted couple they were so weak and dehydrated that it was estimated that they would not have lasted for more than another three hours. Even in spite of their eleventh hour rescue, Sinbad, a tuxedo, lost his left front leg while his littermate, solid-black Sailor, was in grave danger of also losing one of her front appendages.

Nothing further ever was heard about the attractive duo so it, regrettably, is not known whatever became of  them. Suffice it to say, however, that losing a leg apiece was far preferable to being devoured by a voracious alligator. (See Cat Defender post of August 5, 2010 entitled "Sinbad Loses a Leg in a Foiled Plot to Use Him and His Littermate, Sailor, as Alligator Bait in Florida.")

Later on January 12, 2015, Animal Control officers raided the home of Laura Mattson in the 13200 block of Sylvan Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Van Nuys where they confiscated a forty-year-old female alligator named Jaxson. They had been called to the address following complaints from Mattson's neighbors that she had been feeding both pet and homeless cats to the reptile that she had been boarding in her house for the past thirty-seven years. 

Although she vehemently denied the charges, the two dead cats found with Jaxson inside a crate confirmed her neighbors' worst fears. Even more disturbing, an alligator can consume a huge number of cats over the course of four decades.

As for Jaxson, he wound up at the Los Angeles Zoo. (See the Los Angeles Times, January 15, 2015, "Eight-Foot Alligator Found in Yard Didn't Eat Cats, Family Says" and the Daily Mail, January 14, 2015, "Los Angeles Woman Has Her Eight-Foot Alligator Seized by Cops after Claims She Was Feeding It Feral Cats after the Creature Was Found Surrounded by Kitten Carcasses.")

Tinkerbelle Lucked Out When She and Elizabeth Found Each Other

On June 29, 2010, a pretty nine-week-old white kitten named Tinkerbelle was seized from a crabber in the Scarness section of Hervey Bay in Queensland who had threatened to use her as crab bait. As things were, he already had chopped off her tail and so badly abused her rectum that it was left swollen and bleeding.

Fortunately for her, she immediately was taken in and given a home by a woman identified only by her first name as Elizabeth. (See the Fraser Coast Chronicle of Hervey Bay, July 1, 2010, "Kitten Saved from Crab Pot Death.")

Whether it be for sport or just to save a few dollars on food, some individuals even have been known to feed cats and kittens to vipers. (See Cat Defender post of November 7, 2009 entitled "Jeremy Tuffly Feeds a Kitten to a Pet Python but When It Demurs He Does the Foul Deed Himself by Kicking It to Death.")

Whenever they are not busily feeding them to dogs, alligators, crabs, and snakes, residents of China, Australia, Denmark, Peru, Switzerland, Vietnam, the Koreas, Italy, and no doubt other countries as well kill and dine on cats themselves. (See Cat Defender posts of February 8, 2006, September 7, 2007, August 25, 2008, and December 1, 2008 entitled, respectively, "Stray Cats Are Rounded Up in Shanghai, Butchered, and Sold as Mutton in Restaurants and on the Street," "Australians Renounce Civilization and Revert to Savages with the Introduction of a Grotesque Plan to Get Rid of Cats by Eating Them," "Danish Journalism Students Procure the Corpse of a Murdered Cat and Then Skin, Cook, and Eat It in Order to Promote Their Careers," and "Peruvians Ludicrously Claim That as the Descendants of Slaves They Are Entitled to Massacre and Eat Cats with Impunity.")

"... the unfortunate feline specie seemed to be fair game for every kind of cruelty and neglect," noted author and practicing veterinarian James Herriot observed in his 1994 little book, Cat Stories. "They shot cats, threw things  at them and set their dogs on them for fun."

That certainly was true when he first uttered those sentiments and the mistreatment and wholesale killing of cats has only worsened since them. Moreover, so long as cats remain the nameless, numberless, and expendable nonentities that the Scottish SPCA believes them to be, nothing is ever going to change.

"This is a world of action, and not for moping and droning in," Charles Dickens once declared. Therefore, if the SPCA is unwilling to mend its negligent ways and to begin taking its solemn responsibilities toward cats seriously, it is time that it be replaced.

Photos: Scottish SPCA (Cuthbert with his dogs and Billy), Wikipedia (a dogfight staged by the Bloods), WJXX-TV of Jacksonville (Sinbad and Sailor), Laura Mattson (Jaxson), KABC- TV of Los Angeles (Mattson), and the Fraser Coast Chronicle (Tinkerbelle and Elizabeth).