Con-VICK-tion – 6 Results of the Vick Saga That Give Us Hope

“The greatness of a nation and its
moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

 

Here at Pitbulls.org, we have spoken about Michael Vick and
the dogs he held captive. How could we not? In light of the recent developments
in New York regarding fighting rings, Vick has once again crept into my
thoughts.

President/CEO of The Humane Society of the Unites States
(HSUS), Wayne Pacelle just visited the Ellen Degeneres Show and talked about his book The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call
to Defend Them. It has a whole section devoted to the beginnings of his
relationship with Vick. It left me unsure of my opinion of Vick to say the
least, but I do feel there have been some new developments that are worth
sharing.

In 2007, just a few short years after Michael Vick’s NFL career began;
it ended abruptly, or at least temporarily. In December, 2007 Vick was
convicted for “promoting, funding and facilitating cruel and inhumane sporting
activity”and sentenced to
serve 23 months in Leavenworth, a federal prison. He explained his behavior as
misguided love for animals, but how does affection turn into injury, torture
and death? What he did was deplorable, and some of us will never forget it, but
his sentencing told the country that this kind of behavior will not be
tolerated by anyone.

Out of the ashes rises a beautiful phoenix in the form of
new developments, laws and programs against dog fighting that may have not
happened if it was not for Vick. Some of the many positive changes include:

• Upgrades to over 40 state and federal laws
• Expansion of community-based programs that
  attack dog fighting
• Extinction of businesses surrounding the
  dog-fighting culture
• New training for law enforcement officers
• A national tip line the HSUS created last year that
  received over 700 calls 
• Bad Newz Kennels recently turned into Good Newz
  Rehab Center by welfare group Dogs Deserve Better 

What Michael Vick did is unforgiveable, but he somehow has
given us courage, awareness and strength to fight with everything we have to
put an end to animal abuse. In his book, Wayne Pacelle is right when he says
that when we help protect the powerless and vulnerable we become part of a
cause that both affirms their goodness and shows our own.

Change begins with
us!

For more information, follow these links:

HSUS’s work with Michael Vick

How to Take Action to Stop Dog Fighting