Baltimore Blast News Release -- www.baltimoreblast.com
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Blast defender Mike Lookingland is the newest addition to the “Show Your Soft Side” campaign. Lookingland joins Baltimore "tough guys" Jarret Johnson, Adam Jones and John Rallo in the local fight against animal abuse.
“Show Your Soft Side” is a campaign developed to combat the alarming incidence of animal abuse in Baltimore. Many of the more horrific cases have been perpetrated by teens, thus leading the Mayor’s Anti-Animal Abuse Advisory Commission to look for ways to change the mindset of young people who often view the maiming and torturing of defenseless dogs and cats as a sign of “toughness” or “manhood”. The campaign puts forth a very different message – a message that subtly shows that “being a man” has many facets to it, including a “soft side” when it comes to animals. The goal is to reach kids early because research shows that kids who abuse animals soon graduate to even more violent crimes. Featuring acknowledged hard men of Baltimore with their pets, the campaign’s posters, billboards and print ads make the point that only a punk would hurt a cat or dog.
The Mayor’s Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force was created in July 2009 after a young pit-bull terrier – who was subsequently called Phoenix – was doused with gasoline and set on fire in broad daylight in West Baltimore. On November 3, 2010, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake signed the Anti-Animal Abuse Commission into law with the goal of helping the city prevent and prosecute animal cruelty, including dog fighting. For more information on the Mayor’s Anti-Animal Abuse Advisory Commission visit
The Eastern-Division leading Baltimore Blast are 11-4 heading into two weekend home games. The Blast will host the Norfolk SharX on Friday night and the Rochester Lancers on Saturday night. Both games are scheduled for 7:35 p.m. kickoff and tickets are available by calling 410-73-BLAST or at www.ticketmaster.com.