RICHMOND, Va. — If the dogfighting charges against Michael Vick turn out to be true, Steve Stanaway can envision the appropriate punishment. It is not listed in the Virginia state code.

"They ought to put him in the ring with five pit bulls and the winner comes out," the York County man said Thursday.

Hold on, says Michael Geary. Everyone take a deep breath.

"Innocent until proven guilty," said the student from Boston, Mass. "It's an allegation. Until he's proven guilty, I shouldn't think anything of it."

So it went during a tumultuous Thursday in downtown Richmond as Vick, the star Atlanta Falcons quarterback and Newport News, Va., native, was arraigned on dogfighting charges in federal court.

The case has rocked the sports world, brought a vicious blood sport into the limelight, and as was clear from the scene in the shadow of the State Capitol in Richmond, Va., triggered strong emotions on both sides.

Stanaway, a shipyard pipe fitter, took off from work just to be outside the courthouse and lend his voice to the debate. He brought along Dinky, a 9-year-old Chihuahua whose spunky attitude matched its owner.

Geary, a 21-year-old student, wore an Atlanta Falcons jersey with Vick's name and number seven. He drove nine hours from Boston with two friends to stand on a street corner and get an earful from motorists.

Animal-rights activists say that while emotions are running high, they hope this case becomes a teachable moment for people who have never thought much about dogfighting.

"I think it's incumbent on animal-protection groups, people who care about dogs, to take this dark, dark cloud and put a silver lining on it," said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States.