Update on the dogs-
Dozens of dogs at the center of an investigation into possible dogfighting on property owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick likely will be euthanized, the Humane Society said.
"Almost 100 percent" of the animals seized in dogfighting investigations are euthanized because they have a level of aggression that makes them dangerous pets and neighbors, said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States.
Other dogs also are likely to be put down because the seized animals -- which are held through often lengthy investigations -- take up kennel space, Goodwin said.
Sixty-six dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, were seized April 25 when police conducting a drug investigation raided the house, which Vick has since sold. Police also found items associated with dogfighting, including a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws. No charges have been filed.
Several dogs had old scars, but authorities have said mostly the dogs appeared to healthy.
"These are dogs that have been bred and trained for the purpose of fighting and killing other dogs," Goodwin said. "We recommend that any dog put through this not be adopted out but be euthanized.
"The blame for every one of these dog deaths lies squarely on the shoulders of the people who breed them for these illegal purposes."
Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter would not reveal where the dogs were being held or their conditions but acknowledged that they take up shelter space needed for other animals. The trained fighting dogs cannot share kennels with other dogs.
"We've got all these dogs we've got to do something with," Poindexter said.
At least three of the dogs are at the Chesapeake Animal Control Bureau, where they are nursing facial wounds and are too apprehensive to walk on a leash.
Vick is a registered dog breeder. He said he let a cousin, Davon Boddie, live at the house, and that he didn't know a large kennel on the property could be involved in criminal activity.
Source:Times Dispatch
