From the HSUS Website: When she decided to help put an end to the barbaric practice of dogfighting, "BeKind" Founder Frances Hayward called upon music and fashion mogul Russell Simmons and Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. The result: two riveting cuts of public service announcements that highlight some of the horrific methods used to train fighting dogs. Both versions (15 and 30 seconds) are narrated by Simmons and feature Pacelle and Hayward asking viewers to "Fight for Kindness."

"The horrific scourge of dogfighting as a sport is one that needs all of the exposure and efforts to combat as humanely possible," said Hayward. "It is of course an extension of everything that BeKind is all about. I am so thrilled to be able to contribute to this desperately important effort with this PSA and hope it helps to make a difference."

The longer and more distressing version of the PSA depicts the practice of "dog baiting" by showing a small terrier being stolen, gagged so that he is defenseless, and placed in a dogfighting ring to serve as "bait" for a fighting dog. This PSA is available at YouTube, The HSUS website and BeKind.org.

"Michael Vick's case woke up the nation about the barbarism of dogfighting," said Pacelle. "Now we must root out this activity in every dark corner where it festers, and these PSAs will help us keep the momentum going."

Dogfighting Facts:

- Dogfighting is a highly-organized criminal industry; more than 250,000 dogs are placed in dogfighting pits each year.
- 40,000 people are involved in organized dogfighting and an additional 100,000 are street-level fighters.
- A three-year study released by the Chicago Police Department showed that 65% of the people arrested for animal abuse crimes—including dogfighting—were also arrested for violent crimes against people.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—On the Web at humanesociety.org.

Frances Hayward is the founder of the BeKind (www.bekind.org), a not-for-profit organization that helps animals in need. Hayward and her rescued Shepherd, Amigo, the inspiration for BeKind, have worked diligently raising funds and awareness for animals across the country. To date, with Hayward at the helm, BeKind has funded and organized trips to rescue pets left victim of hurricanes and national disasters, created and starred in PSA's to stop inhumane trapping and dog-fighting, and raised awareness through public appearances such as a visit to New Orleans during Mardi Gras where Amigo was named King of the Barkus. Although Amigo just lost his battle against cancer, Hayward and BeKind continue to battle on behalf of animals everywhere.