Dog Fighting Really Bites

I guess I should be thankful to Michael Vick; after all, he’s done a big favor for the animal world. For years, animal advocates like myself have attempted to shine the spotlight on the horrors of dog fighting. Now that Vick—NFL quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and one of the league’s highest-paid players—was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on charges of illegal dog fighting and gambling, the gruesome details of this so-called sport are on everyone’s minds. And let me tell you, every person I talk with is outraged at the football star’s major fumble.

According to published reports Vick, 27, along with three others, is accused of staging dog fights at his 15-acre estate in Surry County , Virginia . As the head of “Bad Newz Kennels,” Vick allegedly tortured dogs by hanging, drowning, electrocuting, shooting and “slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground.” It hurts me just to type these words; I can’t imagine the terror and pain these poor animals must have felt at the hands of these monsters.

This blood sport is a sadistic “contest” in which two dogs—specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight—are placed in a pit (generally a small arena enclosed by plywood walls) and encouraged to fight for the spectators’ “entertainment.” Competitions can last anywhere from a few minutes to more than two hours in length and end when one of the dogs is too exhausted or injured to continue. Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and is a felony offense in 44 states, including California .

As the world is focused on Michael Vick, my thoughts turn to another man named Michael……Michael Keenan. You may remember me writing a few months ago about the 44-year-old San Francisco resident’s heroic efforts to save Bobby, a friend’s Jack Russell terrier, from an early-morning apartment fire.  Both sustained severe burns, but survived. Keenan, who was burned over 80% of his body, spent the last four months in the hospital undergoing painful operations and countless hours of rehabilitation. He was looking forward to his upcoming release from the hospital, according to his blog, which was frequently updated by his friend Dave. Sadly, little more than a month ago, Michael died after suffering a massive stroke.

“I am still asking myself, ‘How could this be?,’” writes Dave. “Michael had come so far in his recovery….His wounds were nearly all healed and he was looking forward to his release from St. Francis Hospital to start his new life. It just isn’t fair!” Michael Keenan was truly a dog’s best friend; a title we can never bestow on Michael Vick.

“Only the good die young,” the old saying goes. If that’s true, Michael Vick will surely live one heck of a long time. But it may not be the glamorous life he’s been accustomed to living. Compassionate consumers are asking Nike to drop Vick as a highly-paid spokesperson and are calling upon the NFL to suspend him. (You can help signing a petition on The Humane Society of the United States Web site or by calling Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the NFL, at 212-450-2000.)

Perhaps the biggest losers in all of this are the dogs that are forced to fight. According to The Humane Society of the United States, dogs used in these events often (please forgive me for being graphic here, but I feel it’s important for you to know exactly what happens to these innocent creatures) die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection. Many dogs who don’t show enough fighting spirit or who lose matches are inhumanely killed or discarded on the street like garbage, where they eek out a miserable existence until they 1) die, or 2) are picked up by animal control and euthanized, all at taxpayer expense.

Dog fighting is one sport that really bites.

 

What are your thoughts on dog fighting and other forms of animal “entertainment”? Let Karen know by sending her an email message at karenleestevens@cox.net.

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By Karen Lee Stevens,
Founder & President, ALL FOR ANIMALS, Inc.
Copyright © 2008. All Rights Reserved.

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