Five months after Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick was sentenced to prison for his involvement in dog fighting, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation Tuesday stiffening Georgia's dog-fighting laws.

Georgia has had among the weakest dog-fighting laws in the country, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The new law makes it illegal to train, transport, sell or own a fighting dog. It also will be illegal to promote or advertise a fight and to attend a dog fight.


Involvement in the dog-fighting business will be a felony, while attending a dog fight will be a high and aggravated misdemeanor on the first offense. It will be a felony on a second offense.

Perdue, a veterinarian, called dog fighting a "repulsive, senseless organized crime.

"Over the past year there has been a bright spotlight shining on a sad situation ... the bloody, brutal world of dog fighting," Perdue said. "It's not a sport, it's really barbarism.

"This sends a very clear message that it will not be tolerated in Georgia."