Alert 6-3-07 Dogfighting Letter – Please Sign

Below is a letter the Board of Directors of VVAW/VAW will send out.

We want you to support this effort by signing this letter.

Read the letter (below), and see where it will be sent (below – list starting with Governor Kaine).

If you want your name signed to the letter, send an email back with the way you want your name to appear, and your affiliation with an animal welfare group, if any. If you are an officer in the animal group, please indicate that. If you are an Independent, so indicate.

We need your signatures by Wednesday, 6/6/07, as the letter will go out by Friday, 6/8/07.

 

The Letter:

We the undersigned Virginians involved with animal welfare, oppose blood sport, particularly cock- and dogfighting, and want it stopped.

The current case involving suspected dogfighting in Surry County begs for maximum prosecution of those involved, and we support and exhort all who can make this happen.

Dogfighting is already illegal.

Dogfighting itself is enough to warrant maximum penalties for those involved. But when drugs, gambling, and minors so starved for credible role models are harmed, it becomes an imperative for taking action.

Penalties should be increased and applied more vigorously for blood sport participants and those attending.

National reporting of court cases involving blood sport proceedings, state by state, is in order, so there is no opportunity to cross the state line as has happened between Virginia and North Carolina.

Governments should resolve that those in professional football convicted of involvement in dogfighting or other blood sports should be permanently prevented from playing professionally in the United States.

Perhaps it is appropriate to boycott the companies which contract with suspended and convicted professional football players to endorse their products.

Because of your position and your ability to advocate in this situation, by our signatures to this letter we ask you for action.

 

 

Where the signed Letter will be sent:
government
Governor Timothy Kaine
Lt. Governor Bill Bolling
Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell
State Veterinarian Richard Wilkes, DVM
Speaker William Howell, Virginia House of Delegates
Majority Leader, Walter Stosch, Virginia State Senate
Minority Leader, Richard Saslaw, Virginia State Senate
 
VA Sheriffs Association
 
VA State Police Association
 
local (Surry) government
 
Surry County Commonwealth Attorney
Circuit Court judges
Surry County Tourism Dept.
Surry County Administrator and BOS
state/federal legislators for Surry County

professional sports
NFL Commissioner
president/owner of each NFL football team
Vick’s agent
players’ association

sports writers
Sports Illustrated
local Surry newspapers
Richmond papers
wire services
ESPN

Thank you. Together we can make a difference.

Lillian Clancy and Don Marro
and the Board of VVAW/VAW
Peyton Coyner
Debra Griggs
Kim Kincheloe
Mollie McCurdy
Pat Weakland