At long last, Georgia has enacted a tough law against dogfighting, one of the few positives to come out of the sickening revelations that star Falcons quarterback Michael Vick engaged in the brutal blood sport at his 15-acre Virginia estate.

Despite similar cases of dogfighting in their own backyards, Georgia lawmakers were reluctant to clamp down on the barbaric practice until the public outrage over the Vick case. According to police, Vick and his cohorts killed dogs that weren't vicious enough for the ring by hanging them, drowning them or slamming them on the ground. Now serving a 23-month sentence in federal prison, Vick also goes on trial on dogfighting charges next month in Virginia.

Ranked last by the Humane Society of the United States for the weak protections it provided animals, Georgia was the only state where it remained legal both to attend a dogfight and own fighting dogs. But the state's standing and its reputation among animal lovers improved last week when Gov. Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 301. A veterinarian, Perdue condemned dogfighting as "repulsive, senseless organized crime."

Sponsored by state Rep. Bobby Reese (R-Sugar Hill), HB 301 makes it illegal in Georgia to own, transport or sell dogs or to advertise, promote or attend a dogfight.

In a compromise, the new law treats attendance at a dogfight as a misdemeanor rather than a felony on the first arrest. That's the law's chief weakness since the industry flourishes because there's an eager audience for watching dogs tear each other apart. Target the spectators with stiff penalties, and dogfighting would disappear.

The passage of the bill reflects four years of effort by state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), who was on hand at the Capitol for the signing last week.

"No longer," he said, "will Georgia be a haven for these depraved dogfighters." It's about time.

— Maureen Downey, for the editorial board (mdowney@ajc.com)