Over the weekend a confidential informant appeared on ESPN to talk about Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and his involvement in illegal dog fighting. If what he says is true, the members of the betting community should be outraged. While making football picks is ok, picking dogs in this “sport” is not. Earlier this month Virginia police raided a house owned by Vick where authorities seized evidence and dog-fighting paraphernalia. Since then Vick has maintained his innocence and has blamed a relative for housing and participating in this barbaric activity. Dog fighting is horrible. Plain and simple. The acts carried out in these “rings” are some of the most horrifying and cruel events I have ever witnessed.   I am an animal lover and find it despicable when these animals are lead to slaughter. These fights can last up to 2 hours as these animals claw, scratch and bite at the necks and faces of the other dog. The fight is only over when one dog so thoroughly hurts the other that death and permanent injury are more-than-likely outcomes.  

Not only does the damage to these animals take place in the rings but a dog that competes in one of these events is psychologically damaged as well. In order to compete in these to-the-death matches a dog is trained as a vicious killer, to attack on command – a deadly weapon on a hair trigger. To accomplish this, a dog and often times it is a Pit Bull Terrier, will live in harsh conditions, endure beatings to get the killer instinct these barbarian’s desire. So what happens to these dogs when their fighting days are over?

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