I like to call this kind of story a silver lining in the Michael Vick dogfighting case: In Los Angeles County, the district attorney's office and the Humane Society of the United State are teaming up to start a 24-hour tip line for county residents to report cases of dogfighting. As an incentive, they're also offering a substantial reward for an arrest and conviction.
The program was announced today at a media conference at the office of Steve Cooley, the L.A. County district attorney.
It's similar to a cash-for-tips program started last month in Pennsylvania, which offers up to $5,000 for information about dogfights and cockfights. The Humane Society worked with officials in Pennsylvania to start that program.
The L.A. County tip line will be staffed by English and Spanish speakers and offers a $5,000 reward if someone is caught and convicted of dogfighting, a felony under state law that carries a maximum prison sentence of three years. Residents who call in can remain anonymous.
"We expect that these tips will be a starting point for major criminal investigations," Cooley said. The Humane Society estimates that some 250,000 dogs are forced to engage in dogfighting in the U.S. every year.
This sounds like a program that should spread quickly if states want to eliminate this horrifying and inhumane blood sport.
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