Sports By The Numbers MMA: Knock Out Dog Fighting - Part 4- Kris Crawford
http://www.sportsbythenumbersmma.com/2009/05/knock-out-dog-fighting-part-four.html
May 27, 2009
Zac Robinson
As you’ve read over the three previous articles, MMA fighters are doing their part to end the cycle of violence and speaking out against dog fighting. This is great to see as it could be argued that they have a social responsibility to do so. Many kids and young adults look up to them, want to be like them, so they must show that they are not violence-hungry monsters, but instead compassionate and dedicated individuals who have chosen a very tough way to make a living.
During the course of my correspondence with Kris, the topic of Michael Vick and the numerous violent acts brought to light because of his arrest were discussed. For sure, she has a strong opinion on the subject.
In response to the question as to whether or not she thought Vick should get another chance to play in the NFL, she said, “There is once again a media frenzy about Michael Vick and people are debating left and right whether or not he should be allowed to play again in the NFL. However, while everyone is doing that, dogs are being tortured and dieing in fighting pits across the country. The focus should not be on a man who was involved; it should be on how to Knock Out Dog Fighting!
“Just as I don’t agree with all the media attention being put on a man who was involved, preferring the attention be put on ways to eradicate the activity, when Mr. Vick was ordered to pay $20,000 per dog for their “rehabilitation”, I disagreed with that too. I felt that the money would’ve been much better spent going to youth-intervention programs in an effort to teach empathy for animals, thereby reducing the number of dogs ending up in the fighting pit!”
As you can see, Kris is staying true to her principals that intervention, not punishment, is the key to stopping the violence. That is why she is teaming up with MMA stars and it is why so many of them are willing to lend their time.
When asked about the prevalence of dog fighting in the U.S. Kris responded, “As with any illegal underground activity, it is impossible to determine how many people are involved in the illegal blood sport of dog fighting. Estimates based on fight reports in underground dog fighting publications, dog fight investigations, raids and busts, and on animals entering shelters with evidence of fighting, suggest that the number of people involved in dog fighting in the U.S. are in the tens of thousands.
“This barbaric and brutal activity is a pastime for rich and poor alike, and dog fighting has been reported in urban, suburban and rural settings in all regions of the country. Unfortunately, it appears that the nightmare of dog fighting is growing, especially with urban teens. In addition to the estimated tens of thousands of"professional" dog fighters in the US, those involved in putting on fights and buying and selling fighting dogs, there is estimated to be twice as many people involved in "streetfighting" -- informal dog fighting, often involving young people in gangs.”
Despite the efforts of Kris Crawford, Paul Buentello, Cung Le, Tito Ortiz, Josh Thomson, Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson, Rob McCullough, and other MMA stars, the fight against Dog Fighting is still raging.
You can help by visiting KnockOutDogFighting.org and joining Kris and several MMA fighters in the fight against violence and dog fighting.
Zac Robinson is co-author of Sports by the Numbers Mixed Martial Arts, SBTN San Francisco Giants (Savas Beatie April, 2009), SBTN Texas Rangers, and SBTN Los Angeles Dodgers (August, 2009). He is also a columnist for the nationally distributed MMA Monthly Journal and has written for numerous health and fitness websites as he holds two fitness training certifications. He is passionate about both MMA and baseball.
