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Spotlight Special unmasks local sporting hero as hardened dog fighter
Spotlight Special: The Pit Bull Sting, Thursday 30 August 2007, 9pm, ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Northern Ireland
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A ´óÏó´«Ã½ Northern Ireland Spotlight Special will tonight (Thursday 30 August) unmask a leading Ulster GAA star as a hardened dog fighter.
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The programme, which reveals the gruesome inside story of the secret and savage world of dog fighting in Northern Ireland, discovers that Gerard Cavlan, an all-Ireland GAA medal winner with Tyrone, is a major player in the illegal so-called sport.
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The 17-month undercover investigation, led by Spotlight reporter Mandy McAuley, exposes Cavlan as a ringleader in a dog fighting kennel, despite claims made on his behalf that he knew nothing of dog fighting earlier this year.
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And with the aid of a trained undercover operative and secret filming, this Spotlight Special infiltrates a leading dog fighting gang in Tandragee, The Farmers Boys, and comes face to face with the leader of the gang.
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The investigation also leads Spotlight to Finland where it uncovers an international dog fighting ring and discovers how illegal pit bulls are transported from Europe into Northern Ireland and how the dogs are trained to become killing machines and are forced into practice fights or "rolls" from as young as ten-months-old.
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For the first time on film, this hour-long Spotlight Special, on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Northern Ireland tonight at 9pm, will reveal the horrific reality of this violent underground activity with secret cameras capturing brutal and graphic dog fights and disturbing conversations between the dog fighting gang members.
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This ´óÏó´«Ã½ Northern Ireland Spotlight Special shows the true extent of dog fighting in Northern Ireland with at least 15 gangs operating here – five of these fighting kennels being in Belfast alone – and how some of these groups have links to international dog fighting.
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Although fined in court in April this year after pleading guilty to possession of an illegal dog, GAA star Gerard Cavlan's barrister said that the footballer had no involvement in relation to any other activities that would be illegal.
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But Spotlight has obtained evidence that Cavlan is heavily involved in the dog fighting underworld as joint owner of the dog fighting gang The Bulldog Sanctuary Kennels.
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After being raided by the USPCA, Cavlan admitted to Spotlight while being secretly filmed that he was still keeping a number of fighting dogs, saying: "Still have a dozen or 15 dogs, like."
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And when explaining his pit bull's strength and skill in a fight, Cavlan said: "Sure he had him in the chest, and he shook him and he shook him for 25 minutes ... if he hadn't got you killed in half an hour, you, he was in trouble, you know. A real hard mouthed dog."
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Spotlight also infiltrated the Tandragee dog fighting ring The Farmers Boys who engage in dog fighting matches at home and on an international level. After being taken into the inner circle of The Farmers Boys, Spotlight's undercover operator was permitted access to a dog fight in Tandragee.
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He tells Spotlight: "The most shocking thing was seeing the dogs being ripped apart and being covered in puncture wounds with gristle coming out of it and bites down to the bone where you could see the white of the bone underneath. You could hear the skin and flesh tearing as every wound was inflicted."
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The programme also travels to Finland to meet a leading pit bull breeder and exporter, Robert Gonzales, who takes Spotlight into his trust and explains how easily pit bulls can be exported into Northern Ireland.
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When asked if he claimed the dog was a pit bull on the animal's passport, Gonzales tells Spotlight: "I did the passport and it's a mixed breed. I'll show you, this is what a passport looks like ... I've imported a lot of dogs so I know how to fool, fool the customs ... all you need is a computer and a printer."
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Accompanied by Tandragee-based member fighting gang The Farmers Boys, Spotlight also gains access to a brutal dog fight at Robert Gonzales' barn in Finland where it secretly filmed dogs as young as ten-months-old being put into the ring.
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´óÏó´«Ã½ Northern Ireland viewers may find the graphic scenes of dog fighting featured in this ´óÏó´«Ã½ Northern Ireland Spotlight Special disturbing and the language featured offensive.
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´óÏó´«Ã½ Northern Ireland Spotlight Special, Thursday 30 August 2007, 9pm, ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Northern Ireland
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Panorama Special, Thursday 30 August 2007, 10.35pm, ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Northern Ireland
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JM4/CC
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