Michael Vick Says Google's "Dog Wars" Game Glorifies Animal Abuse

The fight against dogfighting

​If Michael Vick says something is skirting on the edge of animal cruelty -- you have to give it a pause. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback who was jailed for his involvement in a dogfighting ring, has come out against a new Google Android app that lets users train their virtual dogs to fight.

 Vick has joined the Humane Society in publicly opposing the new "Dog Wars," saying it could be used as a training ground for wannabe dog-fighters.

The game allows users to feed, water, and train their pups for dogfights. And while Kage Games, which created the app, insists it's not promoting the murderous sport, the logo itself has people questioning its intention. The Web sites features an illustration of a pit bull with a bloody muzzle next to the 'Dog Wars' logo.

Vick, who served 18 months in prison after being arrested in 2007 for his involvement in an illegal dog-fighting ring, issued the following statement yesterday.

"I've come to learn the hard way that dogfighting is a dead-end street," Vick says. "Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it's important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty -- even in an Android app."

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Human Society, is taking it a step farther, asking Android to pull the game from its online market. "Dog Wars actually instructs players on how to condition a dog using methods that are standard in organizing dogfighting," Pacelle said. "Its timing and message are all wrong."

Yet the game developers have told media outlets that the app would actually benefit dogs. A portion of the proceeds from the game would go to animal rescue groups, according to Kage.

"This is a satire about the ridiculousness of dogfighting and we believe in the power of a modern media tool to educate and raise awareness of the real horrors," the developers told reporters.

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