Ask Google to Remove Dog Fighting App

Google has launched The Dog Wars app for the Android smart phone operating system, which allows users to train, feed, fight virtual dogs, and raise your dog to be a winning fighter. One navigates the game building "street cred", earning cash (to buy steroids), warding off police heat  and entering dog fights. The idea is to play well enough to create a champion dog!

I know it is not a real fight and that the first amendment protects such speech, but, I believe we should demand that Google remove the app.

This app actually takes the player through a "how to" course in entering the world of dog fighting. Aside from the concern that young players, especially those who live in communities where this type of activity occurs are more likely to emulate the game and "try it at home".  Since it is a free phone app rather than an expensive store bought video game, children as young as first grade, many who now have smart phones, can have access to the game without any adult supervision or discussion of the issues. This app also allows chats with other players which could allow real dog fighters and children to converse with each other, as it is likely that those involved in the real thing could also communicate about real fights through this game.

Finally, this game features the nastiest looking pit bulls (which can be made even meaner) further adding to their already sullied reputation, and a dog fighting star quarterback notwithstanding, glorifies the fighter.

The Android Marketplace acknowledges that there will be controversy and says, among other things, on the download page  "Just because something is illegal in real life in certain countries, does not mean it is illegal to make a song, movie, or video game about it."

Just because you legally can do something, doesn't mean you should.

Please join me in asking that this app be removed by clicking here http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/request.py?contact_type=takedown or by emailing
press@google.com.

Thank you.

UPDATE:  Our voices were heard!  As of April 27, Google REMOVED the dog-fighting app from it's game page.   However - keep an eye on the app DOG BUCKS which appears to be an add on to Dog Wars. We need to make sure the dog fighting app doesn't get hidden there.

The Dog Ate My Oxygen

CNN reported on a book "Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living" by Robert and Brenda Vale, which asserts that dogs are as bad for the environment as driving an SUV, because they are carnivores and a lot of land is required to produce dog food.

Of course dogs have a carbon footprint as do humans, houses, cars and factories.  In fact, most humans are carnivores which require miles of land to produce food for billions of cows, sheep. buffalo and other food mammals for our eating pleasure. The methane alone produced by these animals is in and of itself polluting. Additionally, we use unclean fuels, dump toxins in our oceans, waste finite resources as if they were renewable and vomit factory emissions into the air we breathe with no regard to the consequences.

I wholly subscribe to the notion that we should always choose the humane and environmentally conscious option at every crossroad. But - do we really want to guilt pet owners and increase the euthanasia numbers of unwanted dogs and cats for these reasons? How about reducing or eliminating the amount of meat we consume, driving a hybrid and/or electric car and adopt pets from shelters rather than encouraging puppy mills and breeders to make more. That should really help!

Here is the link to the CNN story: http://ow.ly/4pJ0q

Michael Vick, The Luckiest Felon in America, Wants a Dog for Christmas

Michael Vick is the luckiest felon in America. After being convicted of dog fighting and serving time in jail, he still keeps his job, earns millions, is fought over by media organizations and media hungry charities, and continues to live the American Dream as star NFL quarterback and possible MVP. What kid in jail for stealing an iPod gets the same mercy?

But he wants something he cannot now buy - a dog! (He is prohibited by virtue of his sentencing agreements to do so.) What is interesting to me about this is the universal schizophrenia displayed by dog fighters and cock fighters alike, which is simply - the way they treat their pets is different than the way they view what is going on in the ring.  I have been in the animal welfare enforcement business forever and have been present at numerous dog and bird fights. Without exception, the fighters tell me - "Animal cruelty? I would never be cruel to my dog - these dogs are business, like to fight, are not real dogs." In fact, many animal fighters have family pets they would not think of raising their voices at. They usually assert that I simply don't understand.

This, however, is not a distinction manifested by juvenile fighters, especially those who look up to Vick. They lack compassion for pets as well, and actually fight their pets believing that they are emulating a hero. This makes life a lot worse for a lot of dogs.

Vick wants a pet dog - proving that he still doesn't understand the extent and nuances of the crime and why the ban is imposed. He asserts he is cured and that the proof of that is his assertion. No doubt the luckiest felon in America feels like a victim.

If this is his Hail Mary sympathy Christmas play i.e. the dog is for my family - not just me. Forget about it. My dad always says - "If you're looking for sympathy, it's between sh-t and syphilis in the dictionary."