Federal prosecutors have gotten disgraced NFL star Michael Vick to set aside $928,000 for the care and placement of the 54 pit bulls rescued from his horrendous dogfighting operation. That is quite a lot of money by every standard - more than $17,000 per dog.
We live in a ghastly rich country. Michael Vick has (or had) a lot of money. It is humane to care for those animals. No arguments here.
But if it is true that dogs deserve to be treated well - to be cared for and loved - then shouldn't it also be true that people suffering from genocide in Darfur deserve even better care?

Isn't it true that human beings are of greater worth than animals? I don't say this, as some have, as justification for hurting animals or destroying our environment. Quite the opposite actually - I believe our responsibility to God's creation is extraordinarily high. That goes for the environment and it goes for our pets and it goes to how we treat the chickens and cows and pigs that eventually end up on our plates.
But don't we have to ask ourselves whether our priorities are a bit whacked if we find ourselves more interested in caring for dogs than in caring for suffering people?

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Truth is the people who care and give are compassionate people and these same people who give and care about Darfur are the same people who give and care about dogs. It's not the activists and people who speak out for animals you need to reach, they already give to many charities both human and animal combined. It's the selfish people who don't give or care about any cause who need compassion. Just think if every person volunteered for human, animals and environmental causes we could save the world. Ever notice it's the same people who do everything at church, school, community functions? It's the same way with charities and causes, it's the same people trying to save the people in Darfur who are trying to save that chained dog down the street. Compassionate people care about many issues.
Humans are much more important than other animals. Your idea that god made all animals equal is pathetic!
I agree with Dawn. The people who really care about nature care equally about everything and do all possible help. People who care even about dogs, they must be implicitly caring about animals as well. Its not a question of who is important - the human or animals. Every living creature has an equal right of survival and enjoying a better life.
Nah... you are wrong, Dogs and humans are living beings and both deserves respect and love for equal, We are just another specie on this planet so it would be really RETARDED saying that we are better, dogs are loyal, dogs don't talk B.S about us, don't criticize us, they love us in a uninterested way, people must to learn something about dogs and that is to be "humble" because at the end of the day we are really cocky, arrogant and we want to take it all for ourselves, we are selfish hypocrites, and we just care about what we "need" to be socially acepted so... think about it. We are just another specie on the planet like birds, cows or something else, we are not the best of the best we destroy our planet! we are like a virus on the earth we destroy ourselves in war, corruption, violence, we eat animals that's a kind of canibalism because we share the planet with them! Lions and other carnivore species exists for regulate the population that's how the wise nature does it! an eagle eats a snake that eats a rabbit... we must to learn sooo much about animals so you can't say "f♥ck dogs I just care about people" because people and animals are sons of the earth and dogs and cats and elephants and any specimen on the planet are OUR FAMILY, OUR BROTHERS! But we are sooo stupid and so selfish that we can't realize about it!
Thank you David for raising this important issue.
Those who make the argument that those associated with animal rights and human rights are the same people. My research has found that this is not the case. 60 % of animal rights individuals support the mutilation of an infant with a beating heart (abortion). Tell me, how is it that animal rights groups treat both cases equally when they murder one species and not the other? To me dog fighting is more humane than a person who would support the rights of choice over the right to life. If and when our children, babies and women are free from murder, rape, forced affiliation with armed groups and a black market which drives and feeds most of these war torn countries, I will then begin to speak against animal cruelty of live animals being skinned in China. But until then, there is just to much to speak out about against the injustices affecting a humans basic right to exist.
God bless the children of Darfur, may the volunteers and aid workers be surrounded by an impermiable membrane that shall keep them safe from harm so they may continue to do gods work in a land which god has left. Peace to all.
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