Prison Not The Answer!

Let me say that I love dogs. I grew up with a dog as my pet. I have owned a dog for 18 years of my adult life. People who abuse dogs, or encourage dogs to be mean and hurtful are not nice people.

That being said, I do not believe that owning or operating a dog fighting kennel is an offense that should send someone to federal prison! Federal prison (any prison for that matter) is a great place to learn to be a bad person. Federal prison on average costs the U.S. tax-payer $25,000 per year per inmate.(based on the 2003 DOJ budget report) Michael Vick will learn NOTHING constructive to becoming a better person in prison, nothing! Being mean to dogs is bad. Fine the owner of the kennel in such a way as to take back all the money that he/she earned from operating the kennel. Make it non-profitable. Send him to a local jail for a week to make him think about it, and realize that society says "bad man, bad man, sit stay!" Put him on doggie probation for a year or two. The federal pen is not the appropriate response to this crime.

The NFL is way more concerned about the GAMBLING connected with dog-fighting than it is about the violence toward dogs. However, it would seem to ME that the NFL has little moral high-ground on either gambling or violence! Don't get me started on gambling and the NFL (or NBA).

Free Michael Vick!