Two days after the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade down State Street, organizers reported that two of the parade’s beloved inflatable animals had gone missing. But late Saturday night, the Underdog and Scooby Doo Balloons were found buried in the sand at Oak Street Beach, right across the street from the Eagles team hotel, The Drake.
“There are bruises and cuts all over the balloons,” said an officer on the scene. “It’s like someone pitted the two against each other for a fight.”
While dog fighting is illegal in Chicago, a Chicago Police representative said this is a gray area since neither dog was technically alive prior to the fight. “If anything, it’s theft and destruction of property.”
Despite the statement from the C.P.D., Jeannie Hernandez has continued to march outside the team hotel along with other member of the Chicago chapter of P.E.T.A. and is calling for Michael Vick to be questioned to his whereabouts during the alleged dog fight. Specifically, she wants him questioned at about 3pm on Sunday afternoon.
“If we don’t stop him now,” Hernandez said, “who knows which one of our grizzly friends he’ll beat next.”
By Vince LiFonti
