I think it is a sad commentary that we, as a culture, are using the Vick story to compare “What’s worse?� “What’s worse�, we ask, “carelessly fathering illegitimate children, or dogfighting?�. “Dogfighting or gambling?� “Dogfighting or rape?� “Dogfighting or racism?� “Dogfighting or hateful nationalism?� “Dogfighting or (fill in the blank)….?� The comparisons to dogfighting have been endless.

Dogfighting is one more piece of evidence our country is in need of a spiritual transformation (please note I said spiritual and not necessarily religious). Animals are sentient beings – they feel pain, and they suffer, just like we do. They are not more important, or less important than human beings, but like human beings, they are important, too.

Every major faith teaches its followers to be responsible stewards of animals and the Earth. Please help us get the word out that caring for animals, just like caring for people, is an important part of just being a decent person and citizen. If we make this a priority, there will be no more dogfighting horror stories, and no more pointless comparisons of evils. Let us all rise, together, to be better people than we are today, shall we?

Chaplain Nancy Cronk
Founder, http://www.AnimalChaplains.com

Michael Vick at one bragged about breeding dogs, Pit Bulls and Canine Presarios. His AKC Registered kennel was located “SURPRISE” on Moonlight Road, the same address that the dog fighting ring was found. He had a website: http://www.vicksk9kennels.com that showed his dogs and had the address listed. The website is no longer working… shocker huh???

The Feds don’t get involved unless they are pretty darn sure that they can win the case. They win 98% of their cases.

I mean no disrespect, nor will I attack you or the love you have for your dog.

Please understand that I am not a PETA person, do not approve of their shock value tactics. They may have good ideas, but go about their mission in very wrong ways.

Thursday Michael Vick and his business partners will have one of many days in court.

As a resident of Richmond, VA I have had to pleasure of hearing all of the wonderful things the Vick boys have been up too…. pulling a gun on a kid at a McD’s in Hampton (Marcus), the Herpes test (Ron Mexico) and of course the lovely water bottle incident.

What is truly sad about all this… Michael Vick had an opportunity to do some very good things, set examples for the kids. Don’t know about you, but I am sure the fans of Atlanta won’t miss him giving them the “Finger” any time soon.

And yes, my friends and I will be out in front of the Fed Building on Thursday, standing in silence in memory of the beloved dogs that lost their lives at the hands of the people who should have cared and loved them.

I for one am not a member of PETA myself. While I know that there intentions may be good, sometimes a few bad apples give everyone a bad name. But this ‘alleged’ incident transcends PETA and some of its radical members. You don’t need to be an ‘abulance chaser’ or member of PETA to realize that breeding animals for the sport of maiming each other for human interest more than just a passing hobby. The fact that if the animals don’t perform to certain standards and then are summarily beaten, electrocuted, is beyond my moral comprehension…..

While you make some statements that are indeed true: innocent until proven otherwise, and the fact this is only an indictments so far does not mitigate the fact something went down, illegally, on his property. I cannot see how anyone can come to a conclusion that one doesn’t know what goes on at his/her own property for six years. If this was one isolated incident, maybe there may indeed be an explanation. Or if there was one or two dogs involved. But Dominic, there were 50+ dogs on one property. You cannot tell me that Mr Vick had no clue what was going on for six years on his property with over 50 animals….

Even for the “way out there” sake of arguement he wasn’t directly involved, he had to have known through his entourage, family, grounds keepers, that were ‘dog-fighting’ items on his property. And if I were an owner of dogs that I truly cared about, I’d demand why all my dogs suddenly had scars all over their body, and perhaps have them treated at local vets, and find out what the heck was happening at ‘my property; when I was not there. However, I guess having 50+ scarred and agressive dogs collected over half a decade is the norm Dominic?

While indeed his personal life and NFL may be seperate to some, Mr. Vick ‘represents’ the league everytime he puts on that uniform and collects his pay check. To have any employee that sports your company (in this case franchise) name to the mass public and who is in the eye of children as a hero be involved in something so negative and deplorable is bad business. It was the right thing to do what the NFL did and (IMHO it was not enough…) hopefully sends a message to the otehr players who think they are above the law because they have money and talent.

http://www.michaelvickkillsdogs.info

If you are in the Richmond area, please try to join in protest in front of the courthouse. It is the public outcry which finally convinced Goodell to ban Vick from pre-season training camp. So our efforts and cries of outrage are working, but we must keep it going and amplify it if we are to expect the NFL and the Falcons to do the right and moral thing. Here is a snippet from Sports Illustrated article (published today, July 24th):

“Goodell didn’t decide to do that last week because the cacophony of protest wasn’t yet loud enough. It is now. That makes this a whole new ballgame for Vick in the eyes of the NFL and the Falcons..”

Here are the details of Vick’s upcoming bond appearance:

Join in Protest:
Thursday, July 26, 2007: Vick is required to appear for a bond hearing on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Dennis W. Dohnal.
Date: July 26, 2007
Time: 3:30 p.m. (EDT)
Division: Richmond
Judge: Dennis W. Dohnal
Place: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia.
Address: (Click HERE for court location, hours, parking & directions)
Lewis F. Powell Jr.
U.S. Courthouse
1000 E. Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Note: Court schedules are updated every two hours from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm on weekdays. Click HERE to check for schedule updates.