I just wish the people in our country that do not care about animal or child welfare would take a look at the horrific photos of these burned and tortured animals.  How awful it must be not to have a sense of compassion like Michael Vick.  It makes me wonder if he was raised in a chicken pen, but then again, he probably participates in rooster fights too, so that wouldn’t be possible.  Animal torture is a sign of sickness - mental sickness.  Michael Vick is not sorry, he’s just sorry he got caught and has been humiliated across the whole world.  He should NEVER be allowed to have any contact with another animal as long as he lives.

Even though our reporting and investigative cruelty system is inefficient, I would encourage anyone aware of neglect, torture and organized dog fighting to report it and then be prepared to follow-up time and time again so that it is not swept under the rug.  The animals have no voice - we are their voice and sometimes our local authorities have other priorities.

I agree that animal abuse needs to be reported to the authorities-but this is part of the problem. In our current system, one can be reported for starving their animals, even shooting their animals, yet they continue to get a slap on the hand or 30 days to “fatten them up.” Then the cycle repeats itself for years on end. When does one actually get prosecuted-does it have to be when they take the next step to harm a person?

1998 was a year for crimes committed by young people w/ prior histories of animal abuse, & 2001 had its own atrocities of violence.  The #’s are increasing each year. Body counts for the 7 months from Oct. ‘97 to May ‘98 were 12 dead & 44 wounded in 4 schools in Springfield, OR; Jonesboro, AK; Pearl, MS, and W. Paducah, KY.
Prior to these shootings;
Kip Kinkel decapitated cats, dissected live squirrels & blew up cows
Andrew Golden shot dogs before he turned his guns on his classmates
Luke Woodham beat & burned his own dog, Sparkle, describing his dog’s painful & tortured death as a “thing of true beauty”
Michael Carneal threw a cat into a bonfire
It isn’t just youthful offenders who move from animal abuse to violence toward humans. Russell Weston Jr., the man who shot 2 Capitol Hill police officers, shot his father’s cats before his assault on the Capitol.  Report animal abuse - abusers need psychological help.

I think Nitro is right.  That was a very intelligent, insightful post.  I do believe, that as adults, we are still responsible for our actions, regardless of what we did or did not learn in childhood.  When human beings reach adulthood, they should be emotionally developed enough to understand the difference between right and wrong.  Unless someone is truly mentally challenged, there is no excuse for violent behavior, including behaviors directed towards a non-human animal.  If violence is chosen then there should be punishment, and in the case of this dog burning, it was a violent and cruel act and this individual should be punished accordingly.  We can make excuses for toddlers, the mentally challenged and others that do not have the brain power and life experience to differentiate between right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, cruelty and compassion.  But if a grown man takes conscious steps to mutilate another living being, he should be held accountable.  And just because it is a dog, society should not dismiss the overall implications of this violent act.