When is it ok to use animals for entertainment purposes? When is it not? Does it matter whether the animal is considered exotic or not?

The main topic  for this past Friday's debate (10/22/10) was animal rights, and to be more specific, animal abuse. The Debate Committee focused on one specific case, Michael Vick and his history with animal abuse.

Vick is most famous for being the quarterback on the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2007 while being searched for drugs, officers found evidence of unlawful dog fighting activities in his Virginia home. Dog fighting is when dogs are supposed to brutally attack the other until there is a winner. Usually these fights are to the death, both dogs almost never walk away alive.

The two on two debate that was held in class answered the two questions "Should Vick be charged for animal cruelty and abuse?" And "What should happen to the dogs that he used for fighting".

Some people said that they should be put with families, and other people debated that they should be put to sleep, because of the harsh treatment they have already been exposed to.

For some more information on dog fighting and Michael Vick's case please go to the following links :

Dog Fighting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf8KeCqdmeA
Michael Vick & Dog Fighting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZYk91q0Tyk