More "Bad Newz" for Michael Vick (With Hopefully More to Come)by Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger 24 Jul 2007 01:08 PM Michael Vick should have stuck to football instead of getting involved in dogfighting. After all, football was his claim to fame. The 2001 number one draft pick who last year made history as the first quarterback to ever rush over 1,000 yards is now making history for something much less admirable. In fact, it's downright despicable. Dogfigthing. It all started back in May when suspicions of dogfighting operations on his property came to light. What investigators found was simply awful. Dogs that had been killed in the most inhumane ways possible: hanged, electrocuted, shot, and even slammed to death on the ground. What the #$@%! is wrong with Vick and his family members and associates? Thankfully he was caught and charges have been filed. But in order to ensure he doesn't do it anymore, and to send a clear message to others who think this kind of "sport" is okay, he needs to be made an example of. Thanks to the strong and unwavering voices of many animal rights groups, that's happening. What's Happened So Far • July 17 in Virginia: Vick and three others were indicted by a federal grand jury. • July 20: PETA demonstrated outside NFL offices in New York and demanded the NFL "Sack Vick." • Also on July 20 (at the same time as the PETA demonstration): NFL commissioner Roger Goodell met with reps from the ASPCA. The league is working with the ASPCA to create a program to educate players how to properly treat animals. (I have a solution: ban them from ever working or representing anything related to the NFL again if they mistreat animals --including no endorsement deals! Hit them where it hurts. It's the only way to drive the point home.) • July 24: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ordered Vick not to attend training camp. The league's going to review the charges against him and see if he violated NFL policies. (I'm hoping he's out not only for the season but the rest of his career.) • Also on July 24: the ASPCA officially announced they're assisting federal investigators in the case against Vick. You Can Help! • Send a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to call for Vicks suspension. The Humane Society of the United States has it all set up and ready for you to email. All you have to do is fill in your name and email address. But if you want to express anything further, you can add to the message as well. You can also send a similar letter on PETA's site. (PETA also asks for him to be suspended without pay, which he's still currently receiving.) • Tell Nike to drop Vick entirely. They're not releasing his newest shoe and have pulled his merchandise from their website, but they still intend to sell it at a later date. They're just waiting for the controversy to die down. If you find that as reprehensible as I do, tell them. • Join "hip-hop mogul" Russell Simmons, Reverend Al Sharpton, and PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk in signing a statement against dogfighting. • Buy a PETA "Sack Vick" T-shirt. Irony The name of the kennel Vick and his three co-defendants ran that was involved in the dogfighting was called Bad Newz Kennels. Hmmm, it certainly is proving to be bad news for them...and well it should be! Related Articles Is It Ever Okay to Kick a Dog? Learn more about Courtney Mroch  Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k. Relevantpets tags User Comments Community Tags animal cruelty, Atlanta Falcons, dogfighting, Michael Vick, NFL Discuss this article
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