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

[Tom Hansen]

Carl et al -

Rep Tom Trail has been campaigning for the past few years to increase dog
fighting to a felony.  I have sent him article after article depicting how
these animals are mistreated and how (after they have outlived their
usefulness) they are simply tossed out into the Idaho wilderness, often with
their brains fried on gun powder and missing a limb.

Perhaps we should push for it locally as well.

How about it, Carl?  Care to join me off-list and get this party started?

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Carl Westberg
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 2:56 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Daily News: "OUR VIEW: Dog fights have no
placeinsociety"

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."
>
>
>=======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>=======================================================

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