Our Story
You can watch the official trailer of the feature film “The Dogs Fighter” by clicking HERE
His name is Gordon “Shotgun” Shell.
Shell is a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter from Detroit who was forced into early retirement in 2010 due to a heart condition.
Now he fights a different battle – he has waged war on dogfighting.
Dogfighting is an abhorrent activity that is much more common than many people know.
Here are just a few statistics about it:
Over a thousand arrests were made for dogfighting in the U.S. between 2003 and 2008, this number continues to grow today.
An estimated 40,000 individuals are involved in professional dog fighting in the U.S.
While exact amounts are hard to pinpoint, a top bet in a professional dog fight can go up to $100,000
Dog fighting is a felony offense in all 50 states
The most publicized case involving dogfighting was that of NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who, along with three of his associates, was convicted on federal and state charges related to illegal dog fighting.
Gordon Shell was so outraged by Vick’s involvement with dogfighting that he challenged Vick to a pay-per-view cage match with the proceeds going to animal rescue groups.
Vick has yet to respond to the challenge.
Shell has left the offer open in case Vick changes his mind, but in the meantime he has decided to continue fighting for the cause.
Despite his heart condition, Shell stepped into the ring one more time in 2012, to raise money and awareness. His story was chronicled by filmmaker Douglas Schulze in a film called (appropriately) The Dog’s Fighter.
Gordon continues to fight for the dogs thru public speaking, fund-raising, shirt sales and his “Rescue Rehab” projects that he does 1-2 times per year. The rescue “Rescue Rehab” project helps shelters that are in need of building upgrades to help them meet local building codes and Department of Agriculture regulations to remain functioning in the role of care and adoption facilities.
To view some of Gordon’s recent projects click the projects below-
