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Vick Decision to Plead Guilty a Blow Against Dogfighting

August 20, 2007


	©iStockphoto
	Dogfighters, formerly operating in the shadows, are finding their leashes growing shorter.

Michael Vick's decision to plead guilty sends one shocking case of dogfighting toward a conclusion—and now The Humane Society of the United States urges concerned Americans to turn their energy to the countless other organized animal fighting operations that beg for priority attention from the nation's police and prosecutors.

"This case has opened America's eyes and jolted its conscience," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "The resolution of this federal case is no cause for celebration—many dogs suffered terribly, and a gifted athlete and his bright career have been damaged, perhaps irreparably. The only good that can come from this case is that the American people dedicate themselves to the task of rooting out dogfighting in every area infected by it."

The HSUS praised the fortitude of U.S. Atty. Chuck Rosenberg, whose office pursued the case to its swift resolution. Likewise, the HSUS expressed its regards to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Atlanta Falcon's owner Arthur Blank for their resolve in dealing with a tremendously difficult personnel issue.

For decades, The Humane Society of the United States has combated the unconscionable cruelty of animal fighting, assisting law enforcement, championing tougher laws and seeking to heighten public awareness.

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In the one month since the indictment of Vick and three associates, the HSUS has witnessed a significant uptick in police activity, with at least 32 dogfighting rings broken up in 15 states with 240 dogs seized. Vast numbers of other cases, however, cry out for attention—and to that end, The HSUS has doubled its rewards to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of dogfighters.

A Problem Bigger Than Vick

While this single case captured headlines and absorbed the world of professional athletics, The HSUS continues to point out that dogfighting is a far broader criminal enterprise in the U.S with an estimated 40,000 professional dogfighters and perhaps 100,000 less organized street dogfighters. This is despite the fact that animal fighting is illegal in all 50 states and under federal law.

Once a mostly rural activity in the South, dogfighting has spread in recent years to America's urban landscape—unfortunately coaxed along by pop culture and tough-guy imagery.

Dogs are selectively bred for maximum aggression and they endure short, brutal lives. Kept at the end of heavy chains with no social contact, they may be starved, beaten or otherwise abused in their "training" regimens for the fighting pit.

The gory details and the scope of animal fighting as detailed in the indictment of Vick and three other men shook Americans from their slumber on this issue. Not only were dogs in Bad Newz Kennels used in fights to the death for human amusement and gambling, but if the animals did not perform well, they were executed, occasionally in the most torturous of ways.

Confronted with such a gory picture of this enterprise, Vick's sponsors, including Nike, wisely suspended their support. Political leaders introduced legislation in Congress to toughen federal penalties in such cases. Civic and cultural figures joined in denouncing dogfighting for its cruelty to animals and for its demeaning consequences on our communities. Americans by the hundreds of thousands raised their voices to demand that dogfighters be put out of business, punished and banned forever from America's sporting stadiums. The Humane Society of the United States actively encouraged all of these reactions, and we will continue the campaign against dogfighting until it is wiped from the landscape.

Aside from the extreme suffering it inflicts upon animals, dogfighting breeds other types of violence. As authorities can attest, gambling, illegal firearms and narcotics are part of the dogfighting paradigm and create a perfect storm for other crimes.

A major study undertaken by the Chicago Police Department reveals that of those arrested for animal fighting crimes—including dogfighting crimes—70 had prior arrests for illegal narcotics, 65 percent had prior arrests for battery crimes, and 59 percent were known members of illegal street gangs.

Communities also pay a steep financial price for dogfighting. The demand for pit bulls among young men seeking to bolster their macho image has created a massive pit bull overpopulation problem, thanks to backyard breeders who indiscriminately churn out pit bull puppies and sell them off to street fighters. Shelters in every major metropolis are virtually packed with pit bulls, to the point where pit bulls comprise up to 70 percent of the canine population in some.

What You Can Do

Read our list of ways to spot dogfighting in your community and ten things you can do to combat the scourge of dogfighting.

And donate to our Animal Cruelty Response and Reward Fund.