CHEYENNE -- A bill that would bring Wyoming in line with 48 other states that consider dogfighting a felony won unanimous support from a legislative committee on Monday.

The House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee voted 9-0 to support the bill, which was amended to make dogfighting a felony on first offense. The original bill made it a felony on second offense.

Wyoming and Idaho are the only states where dogfighting is a misdemeanor. The Idaho Legislature last week approved a bill to make dogfighting a felony. It awaits the governor's signature.

“I don't believe Wyoming should be the safe haven for dogfighting,” said Rep. Rosie Berger, R-Big Horn, the sponsor of House Bill 46.

A 90-minute hearing on the bill Monday featured emotional testimony from Jeannine Stalling, a Cheyenne activist and former president of the Cheyenne Animal Shelter board of directors.

Stalling described her experience participating in a dogfighting sting several years ago in California that she said “changed her life.”

In addition to the spectacle of dogs trying to kill each other in the ring, the event included prostitutes, illegal gambling, drugs and other illicit behavior, she said.

“I have never seen anything so horrendous in my life,” Stalling told the committee.

“This is a very, very dangerous type of activity that they do, and there is much more involved that just” dogfighting, added Richard Collord, executive director of the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, whose experience with dogfighting investigations spans to 1979 in other states.

The committee also heard from Suzan Pauling, public policy annalist for the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Laramie.

Pauling said her group supports HB 46 in part because animal abuse is a precursor to domestic abuse.

She also doesn't buy the argument that penalties for dogfighting should not be tougher until domestic violence penalties are increased -- an argument that helped torpedo similar legislation last year.

“There is a huge correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence,” Pauling said. “If you can stem it at the animal abuse level, you might perhaps be able to stem the domestic violence level.”

The bill also received a boost from one of its principal foes last year: the livestock industry.

“We need to make sure that when we catch these folks, if we catch them in Wyoming, our law enforcement and judges have the tools to deal with them,” said Bryce Reece of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association.

“As a whole, we support the bill, and I think it's probably been a while coming to increase these penalties,” added State Veterinarian Walter Cook.

If HB 46 becomes law, a person accused of dogfighting will be charged with aggravated animal cruelty. The maximum penalty under the enhanced law is two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The bill received a boost from the highly public prosecution of Atlanta Falcons superstar Michael Vick last year. Vick is now serving time in prison for charges related to a dogfighting operation on his property in Virginia.

“I could hug Michael Vick for what he did,” said Stalling, who has long worked toward tougher animal abuse laws. “He did us a great service by bringing this issue out to the general public.”

The bill now moves to the full House for debate.

Reach capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at (307) 632-1244 or at jared.miller@trib.com.