Vick's dog Zippy (courtesy of totalprosports.com)
If his dogfighting activity had never been discovered, the dozens of dogs that were rescued from Michael Vick would surely have died torturous deaths. That is one good thing that has come out of this situation. Further, groups like the local SF Bay Area pit bull rescue group Bad Rap, have proven to the world that even dogs trained to fight can be recovered and can live the life of a totally normal dog.
Bad Rap took 16 of Vick’s victims and rehabilitated and re homed them. There is a great photo essay on their site about it. Even the dogs that went to Best Friends in Utah as non rehab prospects have been re homed. It is inspiring to see the transformation of these dogs from terrified, unsocialized wrecks into loving, happy, exuberant dogs. Bad Rap and Best Friends have done a good thing, and pit bulls can make really great pets.
Without Vick the world would not have known the extent of the brutality he and other dog fighters regularly employ, including hanging, beating, and electrocuting “poor performers,” and making a sport of sacrificing family dogs to fighting dogs.
Vick pleaded guilty to dog fighting, but denied that he was cruel to animals. Justice will never be served for the cruelty he inflicted on the dogs that were recovered and the untold hundreds he must have tortured and killed in his lifetime. Now in addition to being signed to play football again, he is going to be the poster boy for the HSUS campaign against dog fighting.
It is unlikely that Mr. Vick has reformed his beliefs about dog fighting any more so than a convicted child molester or wife batterer changes his behavior following a conviction. Reform of abusers and murderers, which is what dog fighters are, is extremely rare and only happens as a result of undergoing some kind of treatment. Many animal loving sport fans and animal groups are protesting Vick’s reinstatement and his spokesperson status with HSUS, It remains to be seen how successful his bid to return to life as usual will be. At the very least he could put his money where his mouth is and actually fund education programs against dog fighting.
Checkout the great stories about the lucky survivors of Michael Vick’s abuse on Bad Rap’s excellent website, and think about adopting a pit for your next dog.
For more information:
Protests against Vick's reprieve
Comments
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I think that, because of the evils of Michael Vick, we as the human race owe the pit bull breed special treatment.
http://www.examiner.com/animal-rights-in-dallas/most-valuable-player-or-...
Michael Vick is the most disgusting and total disgrace to the human race, and what idiot judge allowed him to have a dog again, are you completely insane, you would actually allow that piece of garbage to own a helpless dog again, he should never be allowed to walk the streets or enjoy and sort of happiness after the forced raping of the female dogs, puppies electricuted, some choked, other dogs used as prey for fighter dogs to go after, oh please, is there really no justic in this world at all???? The NFL should be so ashamed of themselves to have accepted a person of this kind back into any form of football. Oh yes, I'm sure that Michael Vick is so sorry and remorseful for his deeds, he's only sorry for being caught, that he can't fight dogs, tomen
t and torture and make money from beautiful animals that were taught how to be as they were, fighters. But thanks to the discovery of his killing pens, all dogs were taken and have nearly all be rehabilitated to be beautiful inteligent loveing complanions, a lesson they could teach that piece of trash that did so much to them. I am amazed at the pit bull dog, they are so personable, companion, helpers, what is wrong with our society of legal idiots.........
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