COLUMBIA -- Attorney General Henry McMaster was joined by Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, Lexington County Sheriff Jimmy Metts, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster, and a number of law enforcement officers at Lamar Advertising in Columbia to announce an important new expansion of the partnership in the state's battle against animal fighting.

In October 2007, McMaster and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced a new effort to reward those who report animal fighting in their communities: http://www.scattorneygeneral. org/newsroom/pdf/dogfighting_reward.pdf. Since that time, HSUS has offered a reward as high as $5,000 for anyone giving information that leads to an arrest and conviction in an animal fighting case.

The Crimestoppers organization, in coordination with Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, announced they were joining the effort. A new Crimestoppers statewide hotline 888-CRIME-SC (888- 274-6372) and website www.sccrime stoppers.com will be utilized to direct caller tips concerning animal fighting to the appropriate law enforcement agencies statewide. When a caller tip results in a conviction, Crimestoppers will distribute the reward money appropriately on behalf of HSUS.

Billboards owned by Lamar Advertising will be used across the state to advertise this effort: http://www.scattorne ygeneral.com/newsroom/images/animalfightingbillboa rd.jpg. The company assisted HSUS by offering five (5) prime sign locations statewide at a reduced rate, to be followed by five (5) additional locations at no charge when they become available.

"Today's addition of these midlands law enforcement leaders, the Crimestoppers organization, and our friends at Lamar Advertising marks a strong step forward in the state's battle to end dog fighting," said McMaster. "We hope people out there that see something will say something, and collect these big cash rewards."

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott stated that animal cruelty is an intolerable crime that leads to other crimes. Sheriff Leon Lott added that success in combating crime in the midlands comes from citizen involvement and the partnerships that we build will continue to make the midlands a safe place to live. Sheriff Leon Lott requested that all citizens take advantage of the new hotline 888-CRIME-SC that will allow citizens to be paid for information leading to an arrest by Crimestoppers and allow Crimestoppers to get those tips to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

The first signs can be seen at these locations:

Midlands

600 Blossom Street

5236 Sunset Drive

Anderson

7105 Hwy 76 (Clemson Blvd. - .1 mile east of Brown Road)

Greenville

Woodruff Road .2 miles west of I385

Charleston

I-26 (1.5 miles east of Ashley Phosphate Road)

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