Eagles-backed anti-dogfighting campaign takes shape
You can thank Michael Vick for Philadelphia's new anti-dogfighting program. The official announcement comes later today, but End Dogfighting Philadelphia, is already helping young people in North Philadelphia find productive and fun alternatives to fighting their dogs.
Eagles-backed anti-dogfighting campaign takes shape
Amy Worden, Inquirer Staff Writer
You can thank Michael Vick for Philadelphia's new anti-dogfighting program.
The official announcement comes later today, but End Dogfighting Philadelphia, is already helping young people in North Philadelphia find productive and fun alternatives to fighting their dogs.
The Eagles along with the Humane Society of the United States and the Pennsylvania SPCA will announce the launch of End Dogfighting in Philadelphia campaign at 3 p.m. press conference at the Hunting Park Recreation Center, at 900 W. Hunting Park Ave.
The program will model after existing programs in Chicago and Atlanta, will target at-risk teens and young adults and their bully-breed dogs. The goal is to reach the very young people who may have been on their way to becoming dog fighters, like Vick, and instead provide them with education about how to properly care and train their animals.
We want to prevent kids from going into dog fighting which we've seen is connected to drug and gangaactivity. said Rebecca Glenn Dinwoodie, the program's coordinator. So far six young people are enrolled in the program. Glenn-Dinwoodie hopes to expand the program to include more classes with at least ten in each class.
Providing a funding boost, is the Eagles organization, which dedicated $500,000 to animal welfare initiatives after the team signed Vick in Aug, 2009
On hand at the press conference today will be Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, Sue Cosby, chief executive of the PSPC; Rebecca Glenn-Dinwoodie; state Rep. Tony Payton of Philadelphia. Representative from Philadelphia City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez's office and the Eagles will be there too.
Philadelphia, like many cities, is a hot-bed for street dogfighting. The PSPCA s receives an average of 60 dogfighting complaints a month. In 2009, the PSPCA investigated a total of 903 complaints of animal fighting across Pennsylvania.
Coordinator Glenn-Dinwoodie says her group also is working with law enforcement to help police recognize the signs of dog fighting.
Just keep Vick the heck away from any and all dogs!— bill19666
Bill - where have you been?! Michael Vick has done more in the cause to put an end to dog fighting than anyone else in the country. He speaks out regularly against it, using his own story of an example of what NOT to do. Vick will certainly own a dog one day, and be proud of it.— sherberg- Right now Vick is NOT allowed to own a dog! Im sure someday he will be allowed and that will be unfortunate for the poor dog. Vick is a sick and disgusting thug with a sick fetish for torturing animals! He smiled as he electrocuted and drowned and smashed these poor dogs to death and near death. He said jail did nothing to rehab himself. There is zero evidence he is a changed man at all. All he cares about is doing what the Eagles and his agent tell him to do and all you care about is his contribution to your little football team. I feel bad for you. — bill19666
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