I wholly commend your unified effort in the bust of a dogfighting ring outside Dexter in Stoddard County, Missouri. Due to your diligence, 25 pit bulls, one beagle, and assorted dogfighting paraphernalia were confiscated from a barn used by alleged dogfighters Jessey Short, 30, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Curtis Pickering, 28, of South Fulton, Tenn., and Jamie Sifford, 29, of Dudley, Mo.

As typical in raids, investigators found treadmills, vials, syringes, break-sticks to disengage a pit bull's deadly jaw clench, and even documentation of matches, rankings, breeding stock and prizefighters. The accused dogfighters played their dogs in a horse stall covered in blood sodden carpet.

According to Tim Rickey, the Humane Society of Missouri's Director of Rescues & Investigations, the volume of seized dogs and fighting gear renders this the largest Missouri raid in the last five years. The dogs' scars, bite wounds and lacerated ears are testimony to their lives of coerced violence and abuse.

In the aftermath of Michael Vick's high profile case, an informed public wants penalties commensurate with the brutal crime of dogfighting. Short, Pickering, and Sifford are booked on charges of dogfighting, a felony in Missouri. I urge the Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney to take a no-lenience stance on dogfighting and animal cruelty. Please seek maximum incarceration and fines. In addition, the offenders should be barred from possessing, merchandising, or living alongside animals in any context.

More illicit activity is certain to emerge. Animal fighting is commonly associated with illegal gambling, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and acts of human violence. Please charge Short, Pickering, and Sifford accordingly, as any new evidence unfolds.

Furthermore, I am concerned about the beagle also found during the raid. Dogfighters routinely use "bait" animals to arouse aggression in pit bulls. Small dogs, cats, rabbits or chickens may be strung to poles and twirled like toys until a fight dog fatally mauls them. For a practice fight, or "roll," handlers mismatch a submissive animal with an aggressor.

Dogfighters often steal companion animals to use for bait. I encourage authorities to investigate the origin and purpose of any small animals uncovered on the premises.

Please keep me informed of progress in this disturbing case. One Atlanta Falcons quarterback forever changed public awareness about suspected dogfighting activities. I implore law enforcers and litigators to investigate and penalize animal fighters to the full extent of the law.

Thank you for your participation in the recent dogfighting bust outside Dexter in Stoddard County, Missouri. Due to the statewide effort, 25 pit bulls, one beagle, and assorted dogfighting paraphernalia were confiscated from a barn used by alleged dogfighters Jessey Short, 30, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Curtis Pickering, 28, of South Fulton, Tenn., and Jamie Sifford, 29, of Dudley, Mo.

As typical in raids, investigators found treadmills, vials, syringes, break-sticks to disengage a pit bull's deadly jaw clench, and even documentation of matches, rankings, breeding stock and prizefighters. The accused dogfighters played their dogs in a horse stall covered in blood sodden carpet. The dogs' scars, bite wounds and lacerated ears are testimony to their lives of coerced violence and abuse.

Now that these unfortunate dogs find themselves "property" of the courts and under your care, I respectfully ask the Humane Society of Missouri (HSOM) to evaluate them for placement in credible sanctuaries experienced with pit bulls. I am disturbed by comments in the press about inevitable euthanasia. Clearly, fight dogs are not "pets-of-the-week" suitable for typical adoption. However, they deserve some human kindness and a safe place. I sincerely hope HSOM exhausts all possibility to afford them this chance.

"We owe them a little extra patience," concurs Randall Lockwood, the ASPCA's senior vice president whose expert opinion helped spare all but one of 49 pit bulls seized in the Michael Vick dogfighting case.

Please seek input from national groups such as Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, along with Missouri groups like Pit Bull Rescue Central, that have hands-on knowledge about former fighting dogs. There can be salvation for some, if not all of these dogs. Please update me about efforts to determine their fate.