All K9 handlers love dogs.  We all appreciate what the species brings us, whether a working dog or pet. To hear of the atrocities that were revealed during the investigation surrounding the Michael Vick dog fighting fiasco has outraged all of us.

But it does have one beam of light. It's ironic how it was a K9 who opened the case from the onset.

Though she had no idea what the future investigation would reveal, ASCT Master Handler Angela DiPentima was the catalyst that launched the entire Vick dog fighting investigation.
 
Because the trial will be of national acclaim and importance, we will not give specific details here of the case but rather just report the basics.

DiPentima had been working her K9 for approximately 1 year when she made a traffic, narcotic scan of a vehicle.  The scan and subsequent search produced narcotics.  The driver of the vehicle just happened to be a relative of Michael Vick.

After charging for the narcotics, the Hampton Police Division was able to secure a search warrant for the residence.  And it was during the execution of that search warrant that investigators discovered evidence of the dog fighting operation and subsequent federal investigation revealed the atrocities.

As dog handlers, it's hard to realize just what your work may reveal. If DiPentima had not been training properly, working her dog, educating herself - she may have missed that initial narcotic stop. 

If it's true that there are dogs in heaven, then there must certainly be a large number, those battered and destroyed during the dog fighting operations, who are smiling down on K9 Troy and his handler - thanking them for being in the right place and the right time. 

ASCT salutes DiPentima and K9 Troy for a job very well done.