Michael Vick and his associates operated the aptly named “Bad Newz Kennels,” which housed and trained over 50 pit bull dogs, staged dog fights, killed dogs, and ran a high stakes gambling ring with purses up to $26,000.
The exposure of Bad Newz Kennels helped alert the nation to the viciousness of dogfighting that is commonplace in many communities despite the fact that dogfighting is outlawed in every state and, to some extent, by the federal government. To read about new laws and tougher penalties that have been enacted in the wake of the Vick case, see ALDF’s Animal Fighting Fact Sheet.