The National Football League and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shouldn't have to waste their time developing a program to educate the league's players about the proper treatment of animals.

These high-paid — oftentimes excessively paid — adults should have the ability to differentiate between proper and improper animal treatment. Unfortunately, thanks to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and the federal dogfighting indictment that has been handed down against him, that assumption no longer is on solid ground.

Perhaps there are a few other players who share some degree of Vick's misguided attitude about the way animals should be treated. But football fans and non-fans alike have to be asking themselves if the league and ASPCA really believe that the proposed deviation from the focus on football for all players really is necessary.

That is not to imply that animal-rights activists should not be angry about Vick's apparent involvement in the repulsive "sport" of dogfighting. Indeed, if he is found guilty, Vick should not be given any leniency because of his high-profile sports hero status.

Rather than a program to educate players about proper animal treatment, it would seem that a memo to players from the league office would suffice to deliver the clear, stern message that the proposed program would impart.

Maybe the league suspects something that most right-thinking people would never contemplate — that there are more players involved in such despicable behavior. However, more likely, the league merely isn't taking any chances, while at the same time trying to assuage animal-rights advocates and others who are very angry about what Vick is accused of having done.

The 27-year-old Vick and three other men allegedly sponsored dogfighting operations and brutal treatment of pit bulls.

Vick's indictment states that several pit bulls at his home were killed if they weren't strong enough to fight. The federal government says Vick and his associates executed dogs "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

There also were allegations that dogs had been electrocuted.

Vick should be allowed his day in court. At the same time, it should be eye-opening to football fans that their heroes on the gridiron need to be subjected to this special training that has been proposed.

Vick, who signed a 10-year contract extension in 2004 worth approximately $130 million, is scheduled to make $6 million this year. Based on his past and future earnings, one would think that he could have found more humane activities to participate in than what the indictment alleges that he did.

Hopefully, the league's new conduct policy will, in the way it is invoked, deliver the right message to Vick and others on NFLplayer rosters.

Like humans, animals feel pain.