Vick condemns 'dogfighting' phone app

PHILADELPHIA, April 26 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has denounced a "virtual dogfighting" app showing up on Android smartphones.

The app, called "Dog Wars," has generated criticism from both Vick and the Humane Society of the United States, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday.

"I've come to learn the hard way that dogfighting is a dead-end street," Vick said in a statement. "Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it's important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app."

The Humane Society was quick to condemn the Dog Wars app.

Because players of the game condition dogs to fight, "this game may be a virtual training ground for would-be dogfighters. Its timing and message are all wrong," Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society president, said.

Vick, who served 18 months in prison on federal charges for running a dogfighting operation in Virginia, has worked with the Humane Society to bring his anti-dogfighting message to schools, the Inquirer reported.