Michael Vick has discussed working with the Humane Society of the United States on a program aimed at eradicating dogfighting among urban teenagers, the society’s president said.

Wayne Pacelle, the society’s president, said he met with Vick recently in the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kan., at Vick’s request. Vick left prison before dawn Wednesday after serving 19 months for his role in financing a dogfighting ring and headed to Hampton, Va., to begin home confinement.

“He said this experience has been a trauma and he’s changed forever,” Pacelle wrote on his blog on the Humane Society’s Web site. “And he said he wants to show the American public that he is committed to helping combat this problem. He asked for an opportunity to help. I want to give him that opportunity. If he makes the most of it, and demonstrates a sincere, long-term commitment to the task, then it may prove to be a tipping point in our campaign to eradicate dogfighting.”

Pacelle said that dogfighting was a “culturally complex problem” prevalent among black urban teenagers and that Vick could be valuable in combating the problem.