Vick case opens eyes

A Virginia law professor notes that federal charges against Michael Vick might not cover whatever he did in Virginia, because in that state dogfighting is a felony and punishable by up to five years in prison.

That’s just straight law regarding the non-legality of the “sport” of dogfighting in Virginia. But at the federal level, we’re all wondering just how Vick will be punished for whatever he purportedly did or didn’t do. It’s a tough question, because it deals with not only the legality or non-legality of dogfighting, but also with animal abuse and murder, and with how we really value human life versus animal life.

Unless we’re total vegetarians, and I’m not, can we really condemn the killing of these dogs if we eat beef, chicken or bacon and say it’s okay to kill cows, chickens and pigs … but not dogs?

Hunters legally go into the woods to kill elk and deer that are just innocently wandering around out there, for both the sport of it, and sometimes for both the sport and for the food.

We revere our human lives, but when it comes to animals, just where, and how, do we draw the line? We’re condemning Michael Vick, and I’m near the front of the line, because as pet owners we’re relating what happened to those dogs to our own Hildy the dachsund and Barney the lab.

“Why, that’s just absolutely atrocious and terrible what that man did to those dogs,” we’ll say. Then we’ll ask when the steak’s going to be ready.

Jeff Clausen

Spokane