Philadelphia Daily News Staff Report:
ASPCA condemns Vick's signing with Eagles
New Eagles quarterback Michael Vick's handlers approached the American Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty months ago about doing educational work against dogfighting, but the organization immediately turned them down because of "his indescribable and barbaric acts of animal cruelty" while running an illegal dogfighting operation, the group revealed on its Web site yesterday. The remarks, the first public comments from the group, were written by ASPCA president Ed Sayres.
"[T]his organization and I personally have seen the acts of cruelty committed by Mr. Vick first hand - acts so heinous that the public has never laid witness to them," Sayres wrote, noting that the ASPCA helped process evidence that led to Vick's 18-month imprisonment.
Sayres condemned Vick's return to the NFL and signing with the Eagles: "Today, it is difficult to see him in the uniform of a Philadelphia Eagle because of the startling lack of judgment and moral character he has demonstrated over the past several years. It is questionable whether he will have any credibility as an educator on the dog fighting issue."
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he is convinced that Vick is remorseful and deserves a second chance.
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