[Vision2020] Daily News: "OUR VIEW: Dog fights have no place insociety"

[Carl Westberg]

If any good can come of the Michael Vick story, it focuses our attention of 
what, according to experts, is a far more pervasive problem than we know.  
If you can stomach it, Sports Illustrated has a lengthy, if disturbing story 
on the dog fighting operation that Michael Vick is almost certainly involved 
in:  
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/05/29/vick0604/index.html 
   Why is dog fighting not a felony in Idaho?    Carl Westberg Jr.


>From: "Saundra Lund" <sslund at roadrunner.com>
>To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Daily News: "OUR VIEW: Dog fights have no place 
>insociety"
>Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 14:49:13 -0700
>
>Visionaries:
>
>The following editorial appears in today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
>
>As an aside, I served on the City of Moscow's Animal (Care and) Control 
>Task
>Force in 2005, and I was shocked to find out from Lori Freeman from the
>Humane Society of the Palouse (HSOP) that we have dog fighting right here 
>in
>Latah County  :-(  Unlike the example of Virginia in the editorial, Idaho
>CONTINUES to be one of only eight states, IIRC, lacking any felony 
>provision
>for animal cruelty, no matter how heinous the cruelty  :-(
>
>
>Saundra Lund
>Moscow, ID
>
>The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
>nothing.
>- Edmund Burke
>
>
>"OUR VIEW: Dog fights have no place in society
>By Doug Bauer, for the editorial board
>May 29, 2007
>
>Brutality is as common in the world of sports as home runs and touchdowns.
>In some instances, such as ultimate fighting and even NASCAR, it's the
>primary reason many choose to watch the sport.
>
>Dog fighting is a far different animal - no pun intended.
>
>The canines are pitted against one another in a battle that is bloody,
>inhumane and often deadly.
>
>There is absolutely nothing sporting about that.
>
>Police in Virginia are investigating whether Atlanta Falcons quarterback
>Michael Vick was part of what appears to be an organized dog-fighting ring.
>Dogs and equipment associated with dog fighting were seized from a home
>owned by the NFL star earlier this year.
>
>Vick has denied any involvement, blaming relatives for taking advantage of
>his generosity and insisting he's rarely at the house, even though he's the
>owner.
>
>Surry County Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter has said as many as 
>six
>to 10 people could be involved. Dog fighting is a felony in Virginia.
>
>"I'm convinced from what I saw that dog fighting has occurred down there,
>but who was involved in it I don't know at this point," said Poindexter,
>noting that he saw what looked like blood splatters in a room over a 
>garage.
>
>The splatters were the "most suggestive evidence of dog fighting," he 
>added.
>"There were blood splatters, and somebody would have to explain to me how
>you draw blood in the normal training of pit bulls."
>
>You don't.
>
>Dogs are commonly referred to as man's best friend. Those who take part in
>dog fighting - at any level - are hardly reciprocating that friendship.
>
>Dogs that are forced to fight one another don't get a posh retirement party
>when their fighting days are done. Many eventually are euthanized, either
>due to their injuries or because they're too aggressive.
>
>Some are put down simply because they're poor fighters.
>
>Vick plays in an arena where opposing fans cheer for his demise. They want
>to see him harassed, chased and sacked - maybe even injured.
>
>He's paid a great deal of money for his efforts, and he usually gets up
>after he's been taken down.
>
>Neither can be said of the so-called sport police believe has been 
>occurring
>at his home."
>
>
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