Pet gifts and accessories retailer Moochie & Co. has launched its “Dog Fighting Bites” initiative.
The campaign was spurred by the Michael Vick case, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback who pled guilty to a felony charge in connection to a dogfighting ring, as well as a local dog fighting incident, a spokeswoman said.
As part of the campaign, Moochie & Co. and website MoochieAndCo.com are selling the “Dog Fighting Bites” dog toy, a glow-in-the dark, bouncy ball with the words “Dog Fighting Bites.”
Moochie & Co. will donate all profits from each sale to humane agencies responsible for handling animal cruelty cases, including finding and dismantling dogfighting rings.
Proceeds from purchases made from the website will go to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ legislative program, which is lobbying to increase the criminal penalties for animal abuse and dogfighting nationwide.
In an effort to educate the public, the toy’s tag reads, “If you see something, say something,” and refers readers to the website DogFightingBites.com. The website provides information on how the public can identify potential neighborhood signs of dogfighting and who to contact if the practice is suspected.
The company also launched Moochie Community (www.moochieandco.ning.com), which features an online forum discussing dogfighting awareness and events.