From the Humane Society of the United States:
Dear Lowell,Today, Michael Vick's attorney announced that Vick has apologized and is taking full responsibility for his actions in relation to federal dogfighting charges. When Vick pleads guilty in court, a case that has jolted the conscience of a nation will have reached something of a conclusion.
But our work is far from over.
I encourage you now to sign our virtual thank you card for U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenburg and his staff, who have prosecuted this case and helped bring the tragedy of animal fighting into the spotlight. And I ask you to help us bring other horrible crimes against animals to an end by making a special gift to our Animal Cruelty Response and Reward Fund.
The Humane Society of the United States has charted an increase in law enforcement activity since the Vick indictment, with at least 32 animal fighting rings broken up in 15 states in just the last month alone. Vast numbers of other cases, however, need attention -- and to that end, we've doubled our standard reward to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of dogfighters.Our phones are ringing off the hook with requests for help by law enforcement officials, who often want our expertise in both investigating these crimes and coordinating the logistics involved in rescuing large numbers of animals from abusive situations.
In fact, our Animal Cruelty Response and Reward Fund was created to make this work possible. In addition to enabling us to offer rewards, this fund helps underwrite our undercover investigations, our work assisting local law enforcement, our championing of tougher laws, and our highly trained response teams that rescue animals from large-scale cruelty cases.
We must not let the scourge of animal fighting continue after the publicity surrounding the Vick case recedes. Please thank the U.S. Attorneys today, and help make our cruelty response work possible for tomorrow.
Thank you for all you have done to protect animals victimized in these sickening staged battles.
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United StatesP.S. Read our latest story and watch our latest video on the Michael Vick case and the dark world of dogfighting.