Michael Vick, star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, has admitted to his involvement with illegal dog fighting operations and brutal executions of several dogs. Just what goes on in the underground world of this bloody, so-called sport?
Dog fighting is a bloody battle pitting two dogs against each other. They are prodded and beat to keep them fighting, sometimes until one dies. It is staged as entertainment and often spectators include children. Winners, as well as losers, are riddled with puncture wounds, mangled with gaping lacerations, torn ears, ripped throats, internal trauma, and broken bones, and they may have swollen, bloodied faces several times normal size. Often, surviving dogs die later of blood loss, dehydration or infection. A dog that does not fight well may be dumped or brutally destroyed.
Training involves starvation to encourage viciousness, and beatings to make them “tough”. Fighting dogs are taught to kill by allowing them to maul cats, kittens, puppies or other small animals that are hung from trees. Sometimes they are pitted against a smaller, timid dog to boost their confidence.
As the brutality and prevalence of dog fighting come to light, public outcry has become passionate and widespread. This is called empathy which means we can identify with and care about the feelings of other living things. We can imagine the pain and suffering of the dogs and are abhorred at the idea of dog fighting. We can’t understand how anyone can derive pleasure and recreation from such an evil crime. We don’t understand someone who doesn’t care.
Dr Stephen Montana, Director of Clinical Services at St. Luke Institute says, “Lack of empathy, when present in its extreme form, allows people to exploit others without remorse.” So perhaps it all comes down to empathy, or a lack of it.
After at first denying any knowledge of dog fighting operations on his property, Vick later entered a plea of guilt and then made a public apology to the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons and “to everyone” for using bad judgement and making bad decisions. Delivered without notes, his apology said he takes full respnsibility for his actions and vows to redeem himself.
He declared, “Dogfighting is a bad thing and I did reject it.”
Does this mean he has suddenly learned empathy? Can empathy be learned in a few short weeks? How willing is the public to accept Vick’s apology? We shall see, over the next few months and years. If Vick does, indeed, redeem himself and turn this negative into a positive, then perhaps the suffering of the dogs will not have been in vain. Perhaps the foundations of the dog fighting world will be dealt a lethal blow. Perhaps, fans, especially children, can learn from their ‘hero’ that brutality and death is not cool and that empathy and compassion is the way to go. All this remains to be seen, as the public, undoubtedly, keeps a close eye on the actions of Michael Vick.
Related Reading:
