In the way that, once you look at the big picture, it establishes a very dangerous precedent that the system cannot live up to. I think he should be fined, and fined heavily. But when you start sending people to jail for dogfighting, as cruel a sport as it is, you're either on your way to full criminalization of animal endangerment in general, or very hypocritical. What if Vick bred dogs for consumption, would that be cruel enough grounds for indictment?
Edit: The indictment is strictly for animal fighting.
Actually, the law does (and should do) just that- send people who are cruel to animals to prison. There is a reason that animal cruelty laws are enacted, and there is a reason that livestock and animals bred for food are regulated differently. You do realize that companies who are in the food processing business are constantly scrutinized for their ethical practices, despite the necessity of their products to sustain the nation's food source.
Cruelty also does not matter what species is on the receiving end. If Vick were to electrocute, hang, and crush a cow, he would face the same cruelty charges. Species is irrelevant here.
Furthermore, there is no "dangerous precedent" to be set here. If in the future someone were to cite this case, it would still have to have relevance to the case at hand, and each case would still be looked at individually as well. You wouldn't see a spike in animal cruelty convictions, because frankly, the law enforcement agencies aren't waiting for a big celebrity case to establish precedent. This is as basic a case as it gets: Vick is alleged of doing some downright awful things, and if found guilty absolutely deserves to be jailed for these actions.
Finally, if I were to do the same to my dogs, a squirrel, a rabbit, or whatever animal you'd like to use as an example, I should receive time in jail as well. One thing the law is able to do here, and is set up to do, is provide a guideline for humans to fulfill our moral obligation to not provide unnecessary harm on animals.
On a personal note, this is the kind of case I would LOVE to prosecute. God willing when I pass the bar, I would love to bury a-holes who are cruel to animals and think they can get off with a fine, or community service. That is a despicable crime, and frequently, it leads to much deeper societal problems.
) between different kinds of animals on this issue, mainly because the act of cruelty does not depend on who or what is on the receiving end, just as kindness to a worm isn't different from kindness to a dog.
