Vick's Dogs Need Our Support
I hope people don't forget these victims. :(
Give Vick Dogs a Fighting Chance at Life
Ask U.S. Attorney to allow rescue organizations to adopt qualified dogs
No matter what punishment Michael Vick gets for his days of dogfighting, the fate that may await the 53 pit bulls rescued from a life of deadly combat at his now-defunct Bad Newz Kennels is far worse than anything the disgraced quarterback will face. That is, the dogs he so cruelly abused will likely be killed within a few short weeks—not by Vick and his dogfighting partners in crime, but by lethal injection at the hands of licensed government agents.
Granted, humane euthanasia is a far sight better than death by shooting, hanging, drowning, or electrocution—these being some of the methods Vick admits he used to dispatch dogs who were not skilled fighters. Yet, no matter how it's done or who does it, killing the remaining dogs will still have the same tragic result: the unnecessary end of these innocent animals' lives. These would not be "mercy killings" of terminally ill animals, but merely the deliberate destruction of terribly abused creatures whose suffering might still be alleviated by a systematic regimen of kindness and compassion.
When pit bulls are taken into custody during raids on dogfighting rings, they are almost always killed because they are believed to be dangerous and unfit for society. Yet there are numerous success stories of fighting dogs being completely rehabilitated and recovering from their violent conditioning to become loving animal companions. Therefore, rather than simply write these animals off because they've been damaged by hellish treatment, we must commit to giving them the best chance at a decent life that we possibly can.
Vick could have spared the lives of dogs who lost fights, but chose not to for his own convenience, because dogs who cannot win future fights were of no use to him. IDA believes we must do everything we can for these canine victims, and, thankfully, so do many of our colleagues in the animal protection movement.
IDA commends the ASPCA for agreeing to temperament-test all 53 dogs to determine how dangerous they actually are, and whether they can be properly socialized through retraining. Thankfully, several highly-respected shelters—including Mariah's Promise in Colorado and Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah—have already stepped forward with offers to house the dogs and work with them until they are ready for new homes and new lives. Both of these organizations have direct experience handling aggressive pit bulls, as well as rigorous screening procedures in place to ensure that all dogs adopted out go only to responsible guardians.
As the highest-paid football player in NFL history, Vick is a celebrity athlete on par with the most famous names in any professional sport today, so his indictment has done more to awaken Americans to the scourge of dogfighting than any other event in our nation's history. Such a high-profile animal abuse case demands from us the highest consideration for the lives of those most directly impacted by these unique circumstances. We have a responsibility therefore not only redouble our efforts to end dogfighting in this country, but also to do everything in our power to redeem the lives it has ruined—starting with these 53 dogs.
What You Can Do
1) Please write a letter to U.S. Attorney Michael Gill urging him to allow all dogs who pass temperament evaluations to be taken by qualified rescue organizations:
U.S. Attorney Michael Gill
Case No 307CV397
600 East Main Street, Suite 1800
Richmond, VA 23219
2) Also email the two ASPCA behavioral specialists who will be evaluating the dogs to thank them for their efforts:
http://idausa.org/campaigns/sport/dog/images/070905.jpg
- Steve Zawistowski – [email protected]
- Randall Lockwood – [email protected]
Hey Mikey ... There's a couple more "things" to go over ...
:D
Mikey's getting *dummer* than a Box a Rocks!
Been a bad week for the boy star ...
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"Local Charges" good for a few more years in the slammer AFTER the Feds
get done with him ... MSNBC.com article >>>
"Vick indicted on state dogfighting charges" at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20962932/
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Then we have the Failed Drug Test >>>
"More troubles: Vick positive for marijuana
QB, already facing sentencing for dogfighting, can't leave house at night" ... article at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20994016/
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Now for TODAY'S NEW Development >>>
Bank says Vick defaulted on $2.5 million loan
Royal Bank of Canada files lawsuit against embattled Falcons quarterback ...
And they want their money BACK! ... article at >
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20993051/
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How much do they pay Prisoners to *stamp out* license plates?
I'll bet paying off $2.5 Million will take a LOTTA license plates!
:D