Dogs in gangs not just used as weapons

PONTYPRIDD, Wales, June 17 (UPI) -- Contrary to popular perception, youths in gangs do not use dogs primarily for protection and status, but for companionship, British researchers say.

Jennifer Maher and Harriet Pierpoint of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Glamorgan in Wales say there is rising concern in Britain over irresponsible dog ownership, and the use of so-called status or weapon dogs, by street-based youth gangs.

Maher and Pierpoint interviewed 25 youths in total and seven animal welfare and youth practitioners, including a vet, a dog warden and a youth offenders team warden.

Companionship and socialization with friends were the main reasons the youths described for their ownership, the study says.

Both youths and practitioners also reported that dogs were kept for protection and enhancing youth's perceived "tough" and "powerful" status. Some youth also used dogs as weapons to either defend themselves or for dog fighting. The authors identified more than 20 types of animal abuse toward dogs and other small animals perpetrated by young people.

"Dogs serve intrinsic functions -- in other words, the dogs are companions and are part of a social group. But they also serve extrinsic functions -- the dogs are used as accessories and weapons and are often neglected and abused," the researchers say in a statement. "Although inherently conflicting, youths did not recognize this paradox."

The findings are published in the journal Crime, Law and Social Change.