E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS.photoblog600.jpg)
Dmitry Solovyov / NBC News
The fight master at a dog fight outside of Kabul, Afghanistan during January 2012.
Reporter's Notebook
KABUL – Michael Vick would feel right at home here.
Just north of Kabul, on the edge of the mountains, around 1,000 people recently gathered in the cold for a dog fight. The crowd was basically all men, of all ages, even babies, sharing in a tradition that has been going on for hundreds of years.
Dog fights are popular all over the country, and in some cases gambling is involved. In this particular case, we were told there was no gambling taking place, although I’m not sure that was true.
The dog fight is led by an old man, the fight master, who stands with a stick. He rules the show and is very powerful and very confident. The crowds gather in a series of circles, and no one steps out of line. Only the dog owners and their dogs are allowed to enter the circle.
At the start of the fight, there is a green cloth between the dogs so they cannot see each other. The dogs are held by their owners without leashes. Then the cloth is dropped, and the dogs run towards each other and start the fight.
.photoblog600.jpg)
Dmitry Solovyov / NBC News
Some of the dogs were decorated at a recent dog fight outside of Kabul, Afghanistan.
Contrary to common belief, the goal is not for the dogs to kill one another. The winner is the dog that best controls the other – usually by holding on to the skin that surrounds the dogs’ necks – which is decided by the old man. And once he has made his pronouncement, the fighting stops immediately.
I know that the notion of dog-fighting is very controversial. I understand this view – I have had dogs, and love these animals. But at the same time, the dogs do not die and the owners do not want their animals to get hurt.
In fact, the dog owners are very protective of their animals. After all, owning a fighting dog is an expensive proposition for an Afghan. One dog owner told us that the prices for a fighting dog start at $500 and go as high as $10,000 – a lot of money anywhere, but particularly in Afghanistan. The owners seemed to care for their dogs and treated them with respect.
.photoblog600.jpg)
Dmitry Solovyov / NBC News
Dogs fight outside of Kabul, Afghanistan on a Friday in January 2012.
That said, Afghans tend not to be concerned about cruelty to animals. Taking care of their fighting dogs is more about protecting a valuable asset.
After the fights were over, the elderly fight master told us that he has been going to fights since he was a 10-year-old, attending at first with his father. This is a part of Afghan tradition, a way of life and a bit of excitement on Fridays, the day of rest here.
NBC News’ Kiko Itasaka contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
why would anyone find it sensible to vilify a rehabilitated man. i really liked reading articles from this website, but i have to say i am extremely put off by the world blog for doing this
Give me a break and stop crying. If anything the vilification of Michael Vick will make me read more world blog articles because it ensures that the authors have a moral compass.
These people live on a $5000 dollar yearly salary, Michael Vick was making millions. Hes still a bum even in comparison.
He villified himself. He was running a ring of dog fights while being a millionaire. How can anyone even defend this idiot? The only thing that's keeping him from doing it again is his career.
Rehabilitated? He was never sorry for what he'd done, only sorry that he got caught. He's trash and I sincerely wish he'd drop off the face of the earth, never to be seen or heard from again.
Rehabilitated baloney he got caught and wanted his big sports money back. Rehab is a joke Vick will always be what he IS a THUG
I agree with the person above. Why would you even post an article like this. It might be ok for the afghans to have dog fights so leave it there, but is not our culture in the United States and i do not agree with such cruel act.
Afghan dog fights, Paki bear torture (read about this "sport" if you really want to see what kind of sadistic trash live in South Asia), these folks are seriously deranged.
Gotta love the Mike Vick dig, though. Once a defenseless animal abuser/killer, always a defenseless animal abuser/killer.
Actually, I think it would be a bigger "sport" if the "men" just fought each other. Why bring these poor dogs into it? I hate it when people use animals for fighting.....just fight each other if you are a "real man".
Well, jk thankyou for showing what a real american is like. An unforgiving never give anyone not just like YOU a chance kind of inDUHvidual. Tell you what BOY...you leave other their other ness and they wont rip you spine out.
Anyone of those men there is twice then man you are. Me I wish there was more blood sport..thin out the ranks.
Dog fights are better than human battles!
Are they not killing some one or the other in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Niegeria, Sudan and other places?
JK, I could not agree more with you. Schiffner, what are you nastily rambling about??
In my opinion, this is the most unnessary article for the day. How about a story where a dog/s in Afghanistan helped a US soldier and is brought back to the USA to his forever home. I KNOW they are out there.
I am against dog fighting unless a dog is protecting his territory, I think the animal rights groups should take up arms and go over there and make them stop doing this.
Here we go again pure ignorance rising to the top once again. Mr Schiffer you have such a short memory, most likely not enough intelligence to have one. Bloodsport really? They are twice the man? Dog fighting along with the many other centuries old traditions is what separates these people from the rest of the world. They live in the distant past and are lead by zealots, Islamic Jihadists that justify murder and be-headings with passages from the Koran and historical precedents. Bloodsport? Do you remember these fine Americans Eugene Armstrong, Nick Berg, Paul Johnson, Jack Hensley and Daniel Pearl All of whom fell prey to the Islamic practice of beheading hostages to win political battles. There is your Islamic bloodsport. Before you ever put down another American and back one of these people, Remember 9/11 have a thought of your own that is not pure $hit. You are an a$$hole and not at all what a real American is like. You just showed us what you are really like, a spineless piece of $hit with many many shortcomings including intelegence and probably your manhood which is much like you a little little stupid man.
What a ridiculous article the author should be ashamed. What's the moral that people should take away from reading this? That it's ok to fight dogs as long as your not letting them get hurt? Newsflash...Dogs have canine teeth. You don't think that hurts to have stuck in them? What about if one of these dogs gets loose? Without someone around who knows how to break up a fight these dogs will kill another dog and are a real danger to anyone but the handler who shows any fear.
Ridiculous article it should have never been written.
And yesterday we had an article of someone who had bashed in a cat's head in Arkansas and written "liberal" on it. But no, it's only foreign countries that have sadistic trash.
The problem on this board is that we have a bunch of uneducated yahoos posting who don't realize that there are good and bad humans everywhere and see everything that is wrong in foreign countries as a way to denigrate them, while at the same time justifying our own excesses.
@ DPCahill, yeah our soldiers are all just love & roses over there, giving out lollipops. Have you even kept up with what our soldiers have done? I'm not talking about urinating on corpses, but how they've made corpses. We'll call that collateral damage, but it is murder just the same.
As far as the dig against Mike Vick, how many of you eat flesh? Have any of you ever once set foot in a slaughterhouse? If you saw the end that those animals met, ways more horrific than what Mike performed and how those animals lived prior to their death, you'd never eat meat again. I love how folks are all pious about Mike Vick while they're shoving burgers, chicken, or spare ribs down their throats. Really?
Mr. Schiffner, you are the most illiterate person on this entire website. Not once have you written even ONE sentence that makes any semblance of sense. It is YOU who are ignorant sir. So until you can get your Mommy to put two sentences together for you, why don't you keep your big trap shut and let the adults have a decent debate?
Its BS to say the we don't do that in the USA. Obviously if some one is raising fight dog, there must be others doing it for it to be a competition.... Don't you think?
The dog fight game came over from Europe with the colonist and is still big all along the Eastern Seaboard to the beaches of California... as well as Mexico - most of South America. Gaming is in the blood.
The whole villification of Micheal Vic was nothing more than a bunch of vendictive losers - probably taking revenge for not being able to field better quality dogs than Michael Vic could afford.
No, I am not a fan of dog fighting. I think its barbaric, a sick blood sport which needs to be discouraged, banned - but the fact that it is popular in certain circles, and certian cultures can not be denied.
Remember - many of you have Pay Per View to watch what amounts to professional street fights on WWF, MMF, MMA etc. Seriously - where's the difference?
Michael Vic was the Goat... used to take out small minded vengence of never were, but wanna be Professional Sports fans who just couldn't get over the amount of money Vic was making. So you got your pound of flesh, had him put in jail ... surprize, he came back, started all over again and still made it to the top of sports heap, which makes you butt-wipes even more angry.
Whats next blame him for Global Warming too? Let it go, instead of childishly bringing up Michael Vic who has nothing at all to do with Afganistan... in stead of finding and prosecuting the Other owner/breeder and fighters of Dogs (funny how no one else was implicated) - you still act like michael Vic is the only one and refuse to acknowledge he accepted the sentence, did what was asked and earned the right to continue his life.
What is done is done - its over, leave him out of it. Bring in the next victim, to entertain your petty attention.
What I hate the most about illegal dog fighting, is the bottom feeders who kidnap regular pets from their loving owners and put them up as training "bait" for fighting dogs. Those house pets don't stand a snow balls chance Hell when pitted against dogs bred for the fight game.
Neo-Cons are voting for Serial Adulterer Newt, failed Congressman Gingrich ... For President? Thats the best you got?
Yet want to perpetuate the defamation Michael Vick, who has done his time, done public service announcement and cleaned up his act?
Some of you are so blatantly "flexible" in your morals ... that its sick. And you claim to have Principles...
Why don't they show us that they are real men and fight each other ?
Bloodsport is easy when it's not your own blood. COWARDS !!!
Sonar Guy: Spot on! I would give you a gold star today.....
the dogs don't draw blood either. i've been to these fights and they are not like the dog fights in the us. these are really dog wrestling matches. that's okay, isn't it?
Yes good point..
In due time . . . 2014, when we pull out.
That's easy, they only loosely can be described as men
Gee sonar guy you are not to bright are you? They do...with guns rockets car bombs knives fist teeth feet...judging by you cowardly nymdedumb your a squid who HIDES like a coward behind a microphone and a ear phone and doesn't get your hands really dirty.
Bubba you haters and bigots are the real bums in this dog fight. You dont' even have basic reading comprehension skills. no wonder they stuck you on a boat...
Schiffer, what is wrong with you? seriously???
Sandra-mr. schiffner doesn't get enough attention in real life, so she has to come here to stir things up
JK:
Another reason to get out of Afghanistan--dog fighting--
This is the mentality of the people who live there---What are we doing in Afghanistan.
A Hopeless, helpless War killing our Military, while the dog fights go on---I wonder how many were killed in a Helicopter crash? (dogs)---
Tribes and dogs--the Taliban---GARBAGE!
They treat their dogs better than they do their women. The "animals" in this story are definitely not the dogs....
The Taliban HATE and are afraid of Dogs.
Then, lets plop a few million dogs down in Afghanistan, and get the hell out of there. If true, the Talib would stay well clear of the country :)
roger ramjet:
The Taliban probably use the dogs as Terrrorists, as well. Any kind of arsenal to kill human life.
Disgusting people. why not cat fights instead.
It's animal cruelty no matter what animal it is.. Why put a cat through this? It's inhumane, and disgusting that YOU would even suggest such a thing.. Animals are not put on this earth for our ammusement.. They are here for us to coexist with.. If you hate cats so much, you need a therapist.. They say most people that think of or actually go through with hurting cats are psycopaths in the making.. Just saying..
Really, man? Stupid comment. See a shrink
unknown1, you need to get a life.
I wish people who have commented on this article had not generalized the whole Afghan people, it is only a minority who commit this act and it really it disgusting, but please refrain to generalize a whole society,
Correct. The women seem to have common sense and morals.
Maybe it is just a minority but they're all located in Afghanistan so let's pack out troops up and get them out of that backward sh!ithole.
around 1,000 people recently gathered in the cold for a dog fight.
that size crowd hardly suggests a minority.
Would it still be generalizing a whole people if dogfighting was deemed legal in Afghanistan? E.g. bullfighting is legal in Spain. To make it so, you'd have to at least have the majority condone (without necessarily participating in) such activity.
While there are certainly plenty of contenders for the crown, this place must take the award for most disgusting hole on the planet.
Immediately behine Pakistan.
first of all ignore the JK from PA. Second of all it is OBVIOUSLY clear you have never been to washington D.C. nor california two places that make afghanistan look like a civilized country. When
I live in San Diego, CA and let me tell you, it is the most beautiful place in the United States. To compare it to Afghanistan just shows even more ignorance on your part Mr. Schiffner.
That part of the world is 400 yrs behind the rest of us. This is the only time I wish a WAL MART with its EVERYDAY LOW PRICES was built in Kabul.
I pity the women in that part of the world.
It is there way of life, the women that is. They don't know any better. Hell they're religions here in the US that the women are treated as a possession. As a matter of fact I walked away from the one I was raised in because I refused to have my daughters taught that they are there to serve all the men's needs.
"It's an Afghanistan-man thing....you wouldn't understand". In Africa they take an arrow and pierce a cow's jugular vein and collect the blood to drink (the cow doesn't die, but still...). In China they still eat dogs and rip live snakes open and drink their blood. It's so American to want to piss on other people's culture because it doesn't measure up to our "standards". Americans are more advanced. The rednecks here fight 'em to the death.
Dmitry, Dmitry, Dmitry, you have sunk to the depths of yellow journalism with your first line hook. No wonder you are not a 'real' reporter.
They say a culture is judged by how they treat their animals and children. If that is true, then this article speaks volumes.
Yes because here in good old USA, we never abuse animals and children. Oh wait......
A culture can be judged by how they treat their robots.
buzz whirr beep
click click
javondure, the difference being it's not openly accepted here. no idea why i'm bothering to tell you that as with ignorance like yours you still won't get it.
Thank you-
Pictured is a dog that was thrown from a moving vehicle at about 7 weeks old. She is 5 years old now. Do you think anyone in Afghanistan would have cared enough to take her in? Maybe if they thought they could use her for fighting. But then again, what do you expect from a country that straps bombs to their kids.
All the outrage over the dogs (agreed!) but no one mentioned or noticed that in the second picture, the guy is wearing what appear to be American issue BDU pants and boots?!
you can get bdu pants anywhere..if you can tell from a picture they are american issued then you have some good eyes.
And this is a country America wastes lives and ten billion dollars a month on. So sad and stupid but true.
DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I say we nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. :o)
just another reason why this area should be turned into one giant sheet of glass.
rocky- Now really? Kill millions of people... Oh forget it, don't like this story. Just find it sad!
I just sent an email to NBC News to tell them how disgusting it is of them publishing this article with the cameraman that wrote it sounding like he approves!
Also, I hope Michael Vick sues for slander to say that he would "feel right at home" when he has done everything he can to pull himself away from this activity through education of younger boys and his volunteer work at shelters.
This is a horrible activity and no 'man' can call himself a 'man' if he engages in this horrible act of violence with animals.
Shame on NBC for this!
bchredhead, can you please enlighten us on how you were forced to read (and comment on) the story?
I tell you all of this manufactured indignation is wearing thin.
This makes me sick. We need afghans fighting afghans... I wonder what Allah thinks about this?
What's everyone mad about the dig at Vick for? He's not sorry he did it, he's sorry he was caught.
And yes this is messed up, but if you look at how Afghanistan treats their women, then this really isn't that surprising
@been there, done that~
well, I believe we should give Mr. Vick the benefit of the doubt until he's been caught owning dogs and fighting them again, don't ya think? Should the media make a snide remark about him like this 'cameraman' did? I don't think it was appropriate is all I'm saying.
And yes, I do agree with you that he probably was sorry he got caught but he is trying to better himself and he's paying for these dogs rehab, going to schools and talking to children on how what he did was wrong so I think we should hold off on the nasty remarks for now at least.
There are many things we all have done that are not 'good choices' and so once we have put aside those things and have made amends, does that make it better to keep dredging up the past? I think not.
Vile heathens...nuke the lot of them and sell the glass to pyrex...
Would like to complement Mr Dmitry Solovyov on a good article. Dog fighting is a great sport. It is alive and well in America but it has gone underground.
Is this a part of their peacful religion? I don't give a *&^%$# who is doing it, dog fighting, bull fighting it's all BS. I am so sick and tired of people who think they can do whatever the hell they want with animals. Even worse is when a society condones such behavior calling it a "sport". Why the hell do you need to even write articles like this, it serves no purpose.
I'm a true dog lover, but in Afganistan, perhaps this tradition has historical roots and a direct connection to their working dogs who, to this day, and in the USA today too, guard the herds [sheep, goats] from wolves, coyotes, and other predators. This includes Anatolian shepherd dogs, Kuvasz, and other big Asian breeds.