MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has made another effort to say animal cruelty is wrong, urging Alabama lawmakers to increase penalties for cockfighting.
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Vick said in a statement Monday that Alabama's cockfighting law is the nation's "weakest" because the $50 fine is the maximum punishment. Vick has been outspoken against animal cruelty since he served 16 months in federal prison on a dog-fighting conviction.
Vick says he doesn't want others to make the same mistake of being cruel to animals.
Sen. Cam Ward introduced a bill that would upgrade the state's penalty for illegal cockfighting to a class A misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $6,000. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee early in the session, but the Senate Rules Committee refused to bring up the bill for a vote.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
