The dual role of man's best friend

For the dogs, it is a fight to the death: blood spews, jaws lock, teeth and claws dig and tear deep until the weaker animal succumbs into a dead pile of mangled fur and flesh. For the surviving dog, victory is not sweet - it is common practice that the dogs that are still alive after an organised fight are killed and burned in order to destroy the evidence.

In M magazine, Christian Peregin investigates organised dog fighting in Malta and finds that what some people regard as a "sport" is in reality a barbarous practice involving unnatural breeding, cruel training, illegal bets and big money.

Not all men are animals, however. While some train and kill their dogs for money, others cherish their pets and train them to become valuable helpers in the community. Veronica Stivala meets police sniffer dogs, protection dogs and guide dogs for the blind and is amazed at how they perform their duties with such love and intelligence.

For the Male Perspective feature, Herman Grech sits down with the Valletta FC players in their dressing rooms before, during half-time and after a big match and sees how football is played out behind the scenes.

In the Memories section, Toni Sant remembers the Maltese beat groups of the 1960s and interviews members of The Boys, The Graduates and The Malta Bums. Another of Malta's finest musicians and performers, Ray Mercieca of The Rifffs and The Characters fame, shares his photo album with M.

Since it is usually women who tell us how they want to be seduced, M levels the playing field and sends out Giselle Scicluna to find out what turns Ray Calleja and Chrysander Agius on.

M magazine will be out tomorrow with The Times. It is published by Allied Newspapers Limited and produced by MediaMaker Limited. Its editor is Stanley Borg.