Injured dogs found on Vick's property in raid





SMITHFIELD, Va. (April 26, 2007) -- Police conducting a drug
investigation raided a house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Michael Vick and found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated.

Police also found items associated with dog fighting.

State Police Sgt. D.S. Carr said Vick's relative, Davon Boddie, 26,
lives in the house. Vick owns the property, but doesn't live there and
wasn't present when a search warrant was executed in a drug
investigation April 25, Carr said.

Boddie was arrested outside a nightclub by Hampton police April 20 on
charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to
distribute. The search warrant was executed by a multijurisdictional
task force in a narcotics probe.

More than 60 dogs were found in three buildings. Some appeared
malnourished, scarred and injured, officials said.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United
States, said the group has "heard troubling reports for some time that
Michael Vick has been involved in organized dog fighting, and we fear
that this investigation may validate that very disturbing allegation."

"We urge law enforcement to aggressively investigate this matter, and we
further believe that anyone who harbors dogs for the purpose of
fighting, deserves to be fully prosecuted for their crimes," Pacelle
said in a statement. "Dog fighting is a barbaric activity that causes
immense animal suffering and fosters violence in our communities. Our
nation should have a zero tolerance policy for any form of staged animal
fighting."

The Humane Society said dog fighting is illegal nationwide and a felony
in 48 states, including both Virginia and Georgia.

The animal rights group PETA has asked Falcons owner Arthur Blank to
suspend Vick pending the investigation and "to kick him off the team if
it is found that dogs on Vick's property were neglected or used for
fighting."

In a letter to Blank, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said
it was the second time it was writing to the owner about one of his
players and allegations of cruelty to animals. On Feb. 23, the
organization wrote to him about defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux's
felony charges in Georgia stemming from the fatal beating of a dog.

Falcons spokesman Reggie Roberts said the team still was gathering
information on the report and had no immediate comment.

A spokeswoman for Vick's foundation declined comment. Joel Segal, the
quarterback's agent, and Larry Woodward, a Virginia attorney who has
worked with both Vick and his younger brother, Marcus, didn't
immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.

The probe at Vick's property is the latest in a serious of embarrassing
incidents for the Atlanta quarterback.

He was named in a sordid lawsuit that accused him of knowingly infecting
a woman with a sexually transmitted disease and using the alias "Ron
Mexico" while seeking treatment. The case was settled out of court.

Last season, Vick flashed an obscene hand gesture to heckling Atlanta
fans as he walked off the field following a dismal loss to New Orleans.
He was fined $10,000 by the NFL and donated another $10,000 to charity.

In January, security officers at Miami International Airport seized a
water bottle from Vick that they said smelled of marijuana and had a
hidden compartment. Authorities later said there were no drugs in the
bottle, and Vick explained that he used the secret compartment to carry
jewelry.

Just this week, Vick came under more criticism when he failed to show
for a lobbying appearance on Capitol Hill in support of increased
funding for after-school programs. He missed a connecting flight in
Atlanta and didn't turn up for a later flight.

Vick and two other former Virginia Tech stars -- Falcons cornerback
DeAngelo Hall and former Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith -- are
scheduled to join Hokies football coach Frank Beamer and NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell in a pre-draft ceremony in New York on April
28 to honor the victims of the recent shooting at the Blacksburg school.

Other athletes have been linked to dog fighting.

The NBA's Qyntel Woods pleaded guilty in January 2005 to animal abuse
and was sentenced to probation and community service, in addition to
pledging $10,000 to the Oregon Humane Society. Former NFL player LeShon
Johnson has twice run afoul of the law for ties to dogfighting.

are you serious? how is it that his relative lives there, but just
because he bopught the house it has to be vicks problem? they ned to
investigate before pointing their finger at anybody. thats what make s
the system so foul. they just want to point and blame someone rich.
there is nothing saying that vick had anythign to do. sometime i swere
this government sucks, lol. why must you remain in jail if its innocent
until proven guilty? some of these things just dotn make sense, lol

No doubt, I think his cousin was just bein too freakin wild, and now
Vick's gonna have to pay for it. Sometimes lookin out for someone will
f*ck ya right in the end.

OH! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! lets just "kick Vicks outta the NFL"
because some kinfolk who is living on his property WITHOUT Vicks even
BEING THERE???? SUMPTIN STINKS!!!!

Being a lifetime owner of pitbull terriers NOTHING outrages me faster or
gets my panties in a HUGE WAD faster than DOG FIGHTS. I absolutely
dispise ANYONE who abuses or mistreats dogs or animals in general but
what in the FARK does VICKS have to do with something not even being
around??

I don't know..nor do I care..about this Vicks person...it just
absolutely NAUSEATES me, however, to hear of any kind of animal abuse
whatsoever.

Michael Vick is the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, and yes, that
kinda sh*t upsets me too.

Living in Georgia we hear more about this stuff. Seems Vick is in some
kind of hot water all the time.

if he has anything to do with it he should be banned...
he is a role model..like it or not..

lol...ya a role model on the feild...his personal life(if he was
involved) has no bearing on his role as a quarter back......should
people lose their job at mcdonalds upon getting their first moving
violation in a car?

Getting a moving violation in a car is hardly akin to being involved
with animal abuse.

Professional athletes are SUPPOSED to be role models for our kids, at
least idealistically. Because he's a professional athlete, does that
mean he should be exempt from following the laws that every other
citizen has to follow?

Like Pacman Jones here in Nashville, who has been involved or associated
with one illegal activity after another. They FINALLY suspended him and
told him he'd better "get his act together" during this suspension or
give up playing football, I believe.

And that's how it should be.

Considering it is his property, he should hold some of the blame even if
it was not his doing...he should be responsible enough to know what is
going on on his own property, I don't care who it is that lives there.
JMO

I think he should be suspended after all the things that he has been
accused of this offseason

dog fights, **** fights, bull fighting...it is all evil, cruel murder..
and he is being paid millions to entertain us and as a role
model it does include after hours...

Vick: 'I'm never at house' where dogs found

NFL.com wire reports



ATLANTA (April 27, 2007) -- Michael Vick blamed family members for
taking advantage of his generosity after a police raid found evidence of
dog fighting at property he owns in Virginia.

An animal rights group scoffed at that explanation, saying it's long
suspected the Atlanta Falcons quarterback was involved in the
fight-to-the-death activity.

Embroiled in another embarrassing -- and perhaps criminal -- situation,
Vick traveled to New York to take part in activities leading up to the
NFL draft.

Appearing at a news conference to announce his participation in the NFL
Quarterback Challenge, Vick described himself as an unwitting victim of
relatives living on his property in Smithfield, Va.

"I'm never at the house," Vick said, according to ajc.com. "I left the
house with my family members and my cousin. They just haven't been doing
the right thing."

Police conducting a drug investigation raided the Vick-owned house and
found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated. Investigators also
discovered items associated with dog fighting.

Vick claimed he knew nothing about it.

"It's unfortunate I have to take the heat," he said. "If I'm not there,
I don't know what's going on. It's a call for me to really tighten down
on who I'm trying to take care of. When it all boils down, people will
try to take advantage of you and leave you out to dry. Lesson learned
for me."

John Goodwin, who handles dog-fighting issues for The Humane Society of
America, was skeptical that Vick was unaware of such a large operation
-- especially when police were led to the property as part of a drug
investigation after arresting the quarterback's 26-year-old cousin,
Davon Boddie.

Goodwin said authorities found 66 dogs on the property, mostly pit bulls
who appeared to be involved in organized fighting. He estimated it would
cost up to $100 a day just to feed that number of animals, not to
mention other hefty expenses.

"Who's paying to feed all those dogs?" Goodwin asked. "Who has the money
to feed 66 pit bulls that's in some way, shape or form related to that
property?"

He said The Humane Society has heard for several years that Vick was
personally involved in the brutal, clandestine activity, which is banned
nationwide and a felony in 48 states, including Virginia and Georgia. A
conviction in Virginia carries a maximum sentence of five years in
prison and a $2,500 fine.

"We get a lot of calls, and people were always kind of kicking his name
around," Goodwin said. "But it was always difficult to put together a
complete case on the guy. The word is that he has multiple layers of
protection. When the search warrant was executed and they found all the
things they found, it really came as no surprise."

Falcons spokesman Reggie Roberts said the team would not have a comment
until it got more details on the investigation. Vick's attorney, Larry
Woodward, did not return a telephone message seeking comment for the
second day in a row.

"The search warrant was issued in a matter unrelated to the property
owner, Mr. Michael Vick," Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown said.

Goodwin, who has worked with authorities on numerous dog-fighting cases,
said he was told that officers also found bloody strips of carpeting,
commonly used in dog-fighting pits, and "breaking sticks" - hammer-like
devices used to pry open an animal's jaw after a fight.

The NFL said it is looking into the matter. Commissioner Roger Goodell
has made it clear he intends to crack down on players involved in
off-the-field misconduct.

Goodell might be swayed by a string of embarrassing incidents involving
Vick, starting with a sordid lawsuit that accused him of knowingly
infecting a woman with a sexually transmitted disease and using the
alias "Ron Mexico" while seeking treatment. The case was settled out of
court.

Last season, Vick flashed an obscene hand gesture to heckling Atlanta
fans as he walked off the field following a loss. He was fined $10,000
by the NFL and donated another $10,000 to charity.

In January, security officers at Miami International Airport seized a
water bottle from Vick that they said smelled of marijuana and had a
hidden compartment. Authorities later said there were no drugs in the
bottle, and Vick explained that he used the secret compartment to carry
jewelry.

Just this week, Vick came under more criticism when he failed to show
for a lobbying appearance on Capitol Hill in support of increased
funding for after-school programs. He missed a connecting flight in
Atlanta through no fault of his own, but didn't turn up for a later
flight.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has asked Falcons owner
Arthur Blank to suspend Vick pending the investigation and "to kick him
off the team if it is found that dogs on Vick's property were neglected
or used for fighting."

Goodwin said The Humane Society would take a similar stand if criminal
charges were filed against Vick.

While the quarterback insisted he was not involved in dog fighting, he
has shown an interest in breeding pit bulls.

In a 2001 profile by The Sporting News, he revealed having a pit bull
that already had produced one litter and said he was trying to start a
breeding kennel.

"There's more to me than people might think," he said at the time.

davinci i agree about the role model part except these are just rumors
or allegations at this point. I believe Vicks should step up and answer
to this being it is his property that was raided. Somehow i feel sumptin
STINKS. Vicks is one HOT quarter back for the Falcons. But of course he
is not FAVRE!!! HAHAHA!! sorry ya'll!!! i just hadta!!!

Where does it say that if ur getting paid to play sports u must be a
"role model"? you shouldnt be parent if u need Micheal vick to be ur
kids role model!