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From dogs forced to sprint endlessly on makeshift treadmills to horses pumped full of cocaine, caffeine, and even Viagra, ruthless mafia gangsters are turning living creatures into “war machines” — all to line their pockets with millions through illegal betting and displays of power.

This is the hidden underworld of the so-called “zoo mafia” — a brutal network operating with shocking impunity, particularly in Italy. Videos of illegal horse races and dog fights are brazenly shared on social media, often in broad daylight, as gangsters flaunt their dominance with AK-47s and motorbikes.

A Public Display of Brutality

Horrifying footage captured in Sicily shows masked gangsters firing Kalashnikovs into the air while chasing terrified horses on motorbikes — a sickening spectacle that sends a clear message: “We’re in charge here.”

Criminologist Ciro Troiano told The Sun the displays are “a blatant display of criminality.” Animal activist Enrico Rizzi, who has investigated these crimes for nearly 20 years and now lives under state protection after receiving mafia threats, says these events have become so normalized they’re “almost accepted” in certain regions.

The hotspots include Sicily, Trapani, and Palermo, where the mafia still exerts strong territorial control. Police first coined the term “zoo mafia” in the late 1990s after uncovering widespread animal abuse tied to illegal gambling.

Millions from Bloodshed

A single dog fight or illegal horse race can generate bets of up to €50,000 (£43,000). The overall business is worth hundreds of millions annually.

• Dogs are trained using extreme violence, isolation, and deprivation. They’re forced to pull heavy sleds loaded with bricks, run on treadmills for hours, and fight to the death in makeshift pits. Winners become prized “war machines” used for intimidation in neighborhoods.
• Horses are doped with cocaine, caffeine, and other stimulants to push them beyond their limits — often resulting in destroyed legs and horrific injuries. Many are left scarred and broken.

Beyond gambling, gangsters use exotic animals like alligators, cobras, and crocodiles as tools of terror. Police have found parrots trained to squawk threats and cases where snakes were thrown into police cars or crocodiles used to intimidate debtors — because they’re “more convincing and make less noise” than gunfire.

Weak Laws, Strong Profits

Despite occasional police raids, experts say the penalties are far too lenient. Under Italy’s animal rights laws, even serious offenders rarely face real prison time. Fines are often just a fraction of the winnings from a couple of races.

“It’s almost impossible for mafia members to end up behind bars,” says Sonny Richichi of Italian Horse Protection. “Two days after a raid, they start again without any problem.”

Similar operations exist beyond Italy. In the US, authorities have busted major dog-fighting rings tied to drug dealing and stolen weapons, with dogs kept in horrific conditions and trained like gladiators.

The “zoo mafia” thrives because the profits are enormous, the risks are low, and vulnerable animals pay the ultimate price in this web of evil.