Story by Chris Graham
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The Michael Vick dogfighting case made us all take notice of the wide expanse of animal cruelty cast as sport.
Count among those paying attention Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell.
McDonnell included several bills on animal cruelty in his 2008 legislative agenda. The goal for McDonnell is effectively ending animal fighting for sport.
The package includes legislation that will be carried by Williamsburg Republican Sen. Tommy Norment and Salem Republican Del. Morgan Griffith to allow searches in animal-cruelty cases to be conducted after sunset without more authorization, to make other forms of animal fighting, including cockfighting, a Class 6 felony, to make a Class 6 felony the use of any device or substance to enhance an animal’s ability to fight, and make attendance at an animal fight a Class 1 misdemeanor.
“We think this is an idea whose time has come. We’ve worked with the Humane Society and the SPCA to craft these measures,” McDonnell said on Wednesday.
Chris Graham is the executive editor of The SportsDominion.
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