LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - August 28, 2007) - Last Chance for Animals (LCA), a non-profit
animal rights organization with 23 years experience opposing dogfighting,
today cautiously applauded the NFL for its strong position in the Michael
Vick case, suspending Vick indefinitely without pay. LCA also called on the
State of Virginia to pursue its own prosecution of Vick as leverage to
ensure Vick's cooperation with future dogfighting investigations.
LCA President and Founder Chris DeRose noted that the plea agreement and
the accompanying statement of facts contain positive elements. He said:
"Vick accepted that he ran a dogfighting ring. He also accepted at partial
responsibility for the torture and murder of at least 8 dogs. This is
certainly a victory for the prosecution and the animals."
DeRose was pleased, but also skeptical, that Vick agreed to assist the U.S.
Attorney in dogfighting prosecutions. "Now is the time for Vick to put his
money where his mouth is. He can cooperate and help bust dogfighting rings,
in which case his actions might justify the lenient sentence he is being
offered. Or he can reveal that his sympathies still lie with other felons,
in which case he should lose his deal and be sentenced to the maximum five
years."
LCA expressed disappointment that the plea deal includes no provision for
community service. "Mr. Vick could have shown a sincere understanding of
the cruelty of his actions by accepting LCA's proposal to incorporate a
public education campaign into his plea deal. Instead, Vick's statement
today revealed that he is only concerned with salvaging his future and
career. His statement showed that he understands neither the heinousness of
dogfighting nor the repulsion Americans feel towards animal cruelty."
DeRose also observed the one positive result of this case: "For the first
time in my life, after trying to expose dogfighting for 23 years, America
is waking up to this national disgrace and reacting appropriately.
Americans are learning about the prevalence of dogfighting throughout our
country, and are properly disgusted and outraged. That outrage must now be
turned into action."
LCA is calling on its supporters to turn this awful situation into a
positive one by taking the following actions:
-- Contact the NFL and other professional sports leagues and urge them to
specifically include all forms of animal abuse in their personal conduct
policies.
-- Contact local media and prosecutors and demand that they expose and
prosecute dogfighting at the local and state level.
-- Speak out against animal cruelty in their own neighborhoods, schools,
and houses of worship. We are all responsible for stopping violence to
animals in our own communities.
Last Chance for Animals (LCA), a national animal rights organization based
in Los Angeles, has been active for more than two decades. Founded and led
by animal expert, author, and actor, Chris DeRose, LCA fights for the
rights of animals by conducting investigations that expose animal cruelty.
For more information, visit
www.LCAnimal.org
For more information and or to interview Chris DeRose, please contact
Eileen Koch @ Eileen Koch & Company, 310.441.1000 or e-mail at
Eileen@eileenkoch.com. Please visit
www.eileenkoch.com.
Contact Information: Contact:
Eileen Koch
Eileen Koch & Company
310.441.1000