tagged w/ Pit Bulls
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Beautiful Ellen was one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting operation. She thrived under the love and care she received at Best Friends, and became a charming ambassador for pit-bull-type dogs everywhere. We had to say goodbye to Ellen recently, and while we will miss her terribly, all of us at Best Friends feel blessed to have known her. And we are so grateful to all of you who loved her, too. Farewell, Ellen Belly.
http://youtu.be/WAElk2z8-HsBeautiful Ellen was one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting... more
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Pit bulls’ surprising past: Nanny dogs
By Claudine Zap | The Upshot – Thu, Jun 2, 2011
Try to quickly summon an image of good-with-small-children dog, and chances are you'll picture something adorably Benji-shaggy. Or maybe a sweetie-pie golden retriever, or a loveball of a lab. It's not likely, at least not in today's perception of the breed, that an American pit bull terrier leaps to mind.
But not so long ago, pit bulls were brought in as "nanny dogs," the trusted caretaker pups to watch over kids.
Vintage photographs recently posted on a personal blog show off the breed as babysitter.
It's striking--and quite sad--to see such documentation of how beloved the now-maligned dog once was. The very same American pit bull is now more often associated with Michael Vick's dogfights, and stories of household pets gone bad, sometimes tragically involving kids.
In the case of Vick, who was convicted of running a dogfighting ring, 47 of the pit bulls from his kennel were taken to animal sanctuaries or adopted. One rehabilitated dog named Mel, who moved to Dallas with a new owner, even received an edible key to the city.
But back to the breed's history as a family dog: Helen Keller had a pit bull. Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote "Little House on the Prairie," owned one, too. And Petey, the mascot pup with the black eye patch in "The Little Rascals?" Pit bull.
Over time, the breed, which was also bred to battle bulls and fight other dogs, picked up a reputation for a nasty nature. Cesar Millan, the "dog whisperer" who is around the breed every day, says it's people who should be blamed, not the breed. He writes on his website, "Pit bulls get a bad rap because of irresponsible owners."
Responsible owners include Jon Stewart, Alicia Silverstone, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, and Jessica Alba.
Click on link above to view two more old photos of children with pit bulls.
ETHICALVEGAN'S NOTE: Responsible people who have rescued and brought pit bulls into their families deserve a lot of gratitude, because it's those people who really understand, with all their hearts, that it's what humans DO to a poor animal that can make her "bad" (just like human children).Pit bulls’ surprising past: Nanny dogs
By Claudine Zap | The Upshot –... more
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Los Angeles Times...
Dogfighting phone app called 'cruel,' 'sickening' by LAPD union chief [Updated]
April 25, 2011 | 11:21 am
The head of the Los Angeles police union said Monday that a dogfighting game application for cellphones should be yanked from the market because it glorifies illegal activity and promotes "cruel and immoral" behavior.
Paul M. Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said he was particularly concerned that the Dog Wars game created by Kage Games would be embraced by local gang members and encourage them to engage in dogfighting.
"It's sickening, absolutely sickening," Weber said. "They should take it down immediately. These animals are defenseless. It's absolutely the wrong message to send to our children."
The Dog Wars app for the Android smart phone operating system encourages players to "Raise your dog to beat the best" and allows players to train a virtual pit bull to fight other virtual dogs and build street cred that "puts money in your pocket and lets you earn more in fights."
The company's website notes that the game player has a "gun for police raids and can inject the dog with steroids."
The Humane Society of the United States also released a statement urging Android to drop Dog Wars from its applications and calling the game "a step backward."
The humane society and other animal rights groups have been trying to educate the public about the dangers of professional and street dogfighting in the wake of the federal conviction of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in connection with a dogfighting ring at his former Virginia residence.
"Because Dog Wars actually instructs players on how to condition a dog using methods that are true to organized dogfighting, this game may be a training ground for young people to try the activity in the real world, encouraging cruelty to dogs and leading young people down a dead-end path," said Wayne Pacelle, the humane society's chief executive.
[Updated 1:30 p.m.: Michael Vick issued a statement Monday critical of Dog Wars. “I’ve come to learn the hard way that dog-fighting is a dead-end street,” Vick said in the statement. “Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it’s important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app.”]
An email to Kage Games was not immediately returned, but the creators have responded to criticism in an online statement, saying it is not illegal and other games on the video market include crime or killing as part of the gaming experience.
"Just because something is illegal in real life in certain countries, does not mean it is illegal to make a song, movie, or video game about it," company officials said in the statement.Los Angeles Times...
Dogfighting phone app called 'cruel,'... more
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A Newark woman has been charged with four counts of animal cruelty in the case of a 1-year-old pit bull found starved and barely alive inside an apartment building garbage chute, New Jersey officials tell FoxNews.com.
Kisha Curtis, 28, was charged Friday with two counts of abandonment and two counts of failure to provide proper sustenance to the animal, according to Matthew Stanton, a spokesman for the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The pit bull, hailed by animal care workers as a "miracle dog," was discovered March 16 by maintenance workers inside a garbage chute at the Garden Spires apartment building -- a 550-unit complex in Newark notorious for drug trade and other crimes.
The dog was found so brutalized that his bones protruded from his fur and he had no body temperature. Animal care workers with the Associated Humane Societies/Popcorn Park called it one of the worst cases of cruelty they've ever seen.
Newark Animal Control rushed the dog to the 24-hour Garden State Veterinary Specialists in Tinton Falls, N.J., where he was given a blood transfusion, pumped with fluids and covered with heating blankets.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/26/animal-cruelty-charges-filed-case-starved-new-jersey-pit-bull-garbage-chute/#ixzz1HtT80MMLA Newark woman has been charged with four counts of animal cruelty in the case of a... more
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Patrick, the Pit bull who was found near death by a maintenance worker after his owner tossed him into the laundry chute of a 22 story apartment building is continuing to recover each day.
Although Patrick is still pathetically thin, the staff at Garden State Veterinary Specialists says he is slowly progressing. He is eating more food and is now gets to lie on a shamrock blanket outside his cage.
In the last couple of days, he has received a second blood transfusion to help him. The foreign body found through an ultrasound at the beginning of the week doesn't seem to be hurting his recovery so veterinarians will address removing the object when Patrick gets a little stronger.
Patrick sniffs and greets everyone that comes to meet him and there have been lots of well-wishers. There have been TV crews from all over the area recording his progress.
Associated Humane Societies of New Jersey is paying for the dog's recovery. One of the organization's volunteers named Louise created a YouTube Video about Patrick. It gives a clear picture about his condition and miraculous recovery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYm7irMrlF4&feature=player_embeddedPatrick, the Pit bull who was found near death by a maintenance worker after his owner... more
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“I believe in Jus Animalium, the rights of beasts, and Jus Herbarum, the rights of plants.
The right to exist as they have always existed, to live and let live.”
- John Aspinall, referring to historical 19th century animal rights activism
Jus Animalium Culture Apparel (JACA) is an apparel line with a purpose. It was created to help animal shelters care for those millions of unwanted and homeless pets that enter their doors every year, and to send a message reminding you to have respect and care for your companion animals.
Every month or so, JACA chooses one shelter to donate 5% of their sales to - this month it’s Cat Care Society – and holds a second promotion for another shelter. (In January, JACA is donating $5 from every sale of their American Pit Bull tee to Midwest Rescue, which fosters, trains and adopts out dogs, as well as works to destroy anti-pit myths.) They’re hoping to up their donation amounts as their sales increase…they’ve just started out!
http://www.awakenedaesthetic.com/2011/01/the-rights-of-beasts/“I believe in Jus Animalium, the rights of beasts, and Jus Herbarum, the rights... more
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KANAB, Utah (AP) — At the Pro Bowl this weekend in Hawaii, Michael Vick will start at quarterback — an unmistakable benchmark for what has been a rapid, successful and, in some circles, surprising comeback.
A few thousand miles away in the wilderness of Utah, the pit bulls Vick once owned are making a comeback of their own, though theirs has been a much slower, steadier climb.
Take the case of Little Red. Three years ago, she would race to the nearest corner and cower, her face buried against the wall, at the sight of any human or dog. Or Ellen, who would growl at anyone who came near her, especially if they dared glance over at her food dish.
Both dogs had such bad problems, experts said, they’d be better off dead.
These days, though, Little Red wags her tail a mile a minute and is almost inseparable from her new, best buddy — a cattle dog mix named Google. And Ellen, a tannish-brown bundle of energy, still loves her food but loves her visitors even more — smothering them with kisses as soon as they walk through the door.
These dogs and 13 others are rehabilitating at the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, a world away from where their lives began, chained in basements and forced into dogfighting rings as part of the business bankrolled by Vick, the Eagles quarterback who has been out of prison for more than a year, and just this week received his first paid endorsement deal since his release.
On the one hand, the Vick dogs are all success stories — on the road to recovery and serving as ambassadors for a breed that has been widely derided as too dangerous.
In another respect, though, their recoveries are slow and sometimes painful, many filled with diseases, injuries and skittishness that manifested themselves under their stewardship of Vick.
“Some people might say, ’Three years, that seems like such a long time,”’ said John Garcia, a manager of the dog operation at Best Friends, who has done extensive work with the Vick pit bulls. “But we measure their progress in baby steps, especially when they were on the other side of this for as long as some of these dogs were.”
Much as it has been hard to fit the story of Vick’s comeback in a tidy little box, the trajectory of these dogs’ lives, their recovery and the message they send, is difficult to sum up.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/01/29/news/doc4d4488ce541e8731112977.txtKANAB, Utah (AP) — At the Pro Bowl this weekend in Hawaii, Michael Vick will... more
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It is time for owners of dangerous dogs and other pets to be held responsible for what their pets do. If someone wants to own Pit Bulls or any other type of animal that can be dangerous then they should be Required to make Sure that they are controlled at ALL times, No Excuses! If your pet injures or kills someone then the owner should be held responsible as if he/she had committed the crime.It is time for owners of dangerous dogs and other pets to be held responsible for what... more
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 3-day-old infant died after being attacked by the family pet pit bull, the state Department of Children and Families said today.
A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report said the child was bitten by the dog inside a home on Dickson Road in Arlington Sunday night.
Police said when they arrived, a rescue worker was carrying a small baby from the home. The baby, identified as 3-day old Justin Valentin, was transported to a local hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Police said owners had secured the dog inside a cage at the home by the time they arrived.
Today, the infant's mother asked for privacy while the family mourned. DCF is investigating and said the pit bull "went after the infant."
"It was my understanding the parents had put the baby in a room and left it briefly to do something," said Scott Trebatoski, spokesman for Animal Care and Protective Services.
The male dog, named Biggs, was put down yesterday at the request of the owners, he said.
"This dog looked very well cared for. It didn't look abused. It didn't look like there were any outward signs that this dog would have done what it did," said Trebatoski, who added that the dog appeared to be a year and a half old.
"This is an active ongoing investigation," according to a JSO police report.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 3-day-old infant died after being attacked by the family pet... more
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New Pit Bull Law in San Bernardino
Starting Friday People Living in Unincorporated Areas of San Bernardino County Must Spay or Neuter their Pit Bull Dogs or Face Fines.
By JULIE BRAYTON
Updated 8:00 AM PDT, Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Pit bulls and pit bull mixes are among the top three breeds of dogs being admitted to inland shelters. Yet, fewer than 10 percent are actually being adopted.
Animal rescue groups have worked to save the dogs.
"Since January 1 this year, we have been able to get 400 dogs out of here (the shelter) and about 40 cats, but quite frankly it hasn't really made a dent. People by the droves keep dumping their animals here because they're not spayed or neutered," according to Kim Sill from Last Chance for Animals.
Starting Friday, Aug. 13, a new law takes effect requiring pit bull owners in unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County to sterilize their dogs, or face stiff fines.
A first offense fine is $100, the second offense $200, and a third offense within the same year costs $500.
"We feel that there is an overpopulation problem resulting from pit bulls, and state law does allow us to establish breed specific legislation or laws to control pet overpopulation of any given breed," according to Brian Cronin of Animal Care Control.
But the new law targets pit bulls because more than one person was fatally attacked by the breed in recent years here. It's fashioned after pit bull legislation first introduced in San Francisco, a city that experienced the same thing.
"The idea of spaying or neutering is to lower the population, because right now every shelter around is way too overcrowded. The minute we can get that under control then other possibilities can happen," according to Teri Seymour of the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley.
The county is offering $50 and $100 vouchers to help pit bull owners defray the cost of surgery, and comply with the new law.
First Published: Aug 12, 2010 6:17 PM PDTNew Pit Bull Law in San Bernardino
Starting Friday People Living in Unincorporated... more
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) --
An ordinance was passed Tuesday for all pit bulls in San Bernardino County to be spayed or neutered.
City officials worked with the county's Animal Care and Control Division to create the ordinance. Authorities say the objective of the ordinance is to reduce the overpopulation of pit bulls in San Bernardino County, to encourage responsible pet ownership and to reduce the number of violent pit bull attacks.
"In the past five years, four people in San Bernardino County have been killed by this breed, and just this year there have been seven attacks by pit bulls. No other breed has viciously attacked or killed anyone in that time," said First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.
The new rule requires all pit bulls and pit bull-type dogs older than 4 months to be spayed or neutered. Also, all such dogs used for breeding will be required to be licensed.
State law prohibits any breed of dog from being deemed potentially dangerous or vicious, but the law allows local agencies to enact breed-specific programs for spaying and neutering to control over-population.
Owners of pit bulls will be required to spay or neuter their dogs within 30 days of the new rule's implementation.
Animal Care and Control will help pet owners comply with the ordinance by offering education and vouchers to those who are eligible.
Pit bulls or pit bull-type dogs represent about 20 percent of all dogs that are admitted to animal shelters. They are also one of the top three breeds impounded at county shelters and the most frequent to be euthanized.
For more information or to access San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control services call 1-800-472-5609.Tuesday, June 22, 2010
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) --
An ordinance was passed... more
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Supreme Court strikes down law banning dogfight videos
By Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producer
April 20, 2010 3:31 p.m. EDT
Washington (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has struck down a federal law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dogfights and other acts of animal cruelty, saying it is an unconstitutional violation of free speech.
The 8-1 decision was a defeat for animal rights groups and congressional sponsors of the unusual legislation.
The specific case before the court dealt with tapes showing pit bulldogs attacking other animals and one another in staged confrontations.
The justices Tuesday concluded the scope and intent of the decade-old statute was overly broad.
"The First Amendment itself reflects a judgment by the American people that the benefits of its restrictions on the government outweigh its costs," said Chief Justice John Roberts. He concluded Congress had not sufficiently shown "depictions" of dogfighting were enough to justify a special category of exclusion from free speech protection.
The high court threw out the conviction of Robert Stevens, a Pittsville, Virginia, man who sold videos through his business, Dogs of Velvet and Steel. According to court records, undercover federal agents found he was advertising his tapes in Sporting Dog Journal, an underground magazine on illegal dogfighting.
"This is what I was hoping for," Stevens told CNN just after the ruling was announced. "I am not nor have I ever been a dog fighter or a promoter of dogfighting. I am a journalist and an author."
Among the products Stevens advertised was "Catch Dogs," featuring pit bulls chasing wild boars on organized hunts and a "gruesome depiction of a pit bull attacking the lower jaw of a domestic farm pig," according to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based appeals court that ruled on the case earlier.
Stevens was charged in 2004 with violating interstate commerce laws by selling depictions of animal cruelty. He was later sentenced to 37 months in prison, and promptly appealed. That sentence was put on hold pending resolution of this appeal.
He argued his sentence was longer than the 14 months given professional football player Michael Vick, who ran an illegal dogfighting ring.
It was the first prosecution in the United States to proceed to trial under the 1999 law.
The video marketer is not related to Justice John Paul Stevens, who turned 90 Tuesday. The court made no mention of the milestone as it held a two-hour public session.
Nearly every state and local jurisdiction have their own laws banning mistreatment of wild and domesticated animals, and usually handle prosecutions of animal cruelty.
Several media organizations had supported Stevens, worrying the federal law could implicate reports about deer hunting, and depictions of bullfighting in Ernest Hemingway novels.
Roberts agreed, saying, "We read [the federal law] to create a criminal prohibition of alarming breadth."
"Jurisdictions permit and encourage hunting, and there is an enormous national market for hunting-related depictions in which a living animal is intentionally killed," said Roberts. "An otherwise-lawful image of any of these practices, if sold or possessed for commercial gain within a state that happens to forbid the practice, falls within the prohibition of [the federal law]."
During oral arguments in October, the justices offered a number of wide-ranging hypotheticals over what the law could forbid, including: fox hunts, pate de foie gras from geese, cockfighting, bullfighting, shooting deer out of season, even Roman gladiator battles.
Only Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the case, and he focused on one of the most disturbing aspects raised in the appeal, the marketing of so-called "crush" videos, in which women -- with their faces unseen -- are shown stomping helpless animals such as rabbits to death with spiked-heel shoes or with their bare feet.
"The animals used in crush videos are living creatures that experience excruciating pain. Our society has long banned such cruelty," he said. The courts, he said, have "erred in second-guessing the legislative judgment about the importance of preventing cruelty to animals."
He predicted mores crush videos will soon flood the underground market, because the ruling has "the practical effect of legalizing the sale of such videos."
Roberts suggested a law specifically banning crush videos might be valid, since it would be narrowly tailored to a specific type of commercial enterprise.
Alito noted that would not help dogs forced to fight each other, where, he said, "the suffering lasts for years rather than minutes."
The government had argued a "compelling interest" in stopping people who would profit from dog attack tapes and similar depictions. Roberts dismissed suggestions by the Justice Department that only the most extreme acts of cruelty would be targeted.
"The First Amendment protects against the government," Roberts said. "We would not uphold an unconstitutional statute merely because the government promised to use it responsibly."
The Humane Society, other animal rights groups and 26 states backed the government.
If the law had been upheld, it would have been only the second time the Supreme Court had identified a form of speech undeserving of protection by the First Amendment. The justices in 1982 banned the distribution of child pornography.
This is the second time this year the high court has tossed out federal legislation on free speech grounds. The justices in January nullified parts of a sweeping campaign finance reform law, giving corporations, unions, and advocacy groups more power to bankroll federal elections.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/02/xinsrc_3320106022052718138819.jpgSupreme Court strikes down law banning dogfight videos
By Bill Mears, CNN Supreme... more
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KIRKLAND, Wash. - A car-jacking suspect messed with the wrong vehicle Friday night in a Kirkland parking lot.
A pit bull rescued earlier from an illegal dog-fighting ring was sitting inside in the car - and that dog wasn't taking any more passengers.
The dog's foster mom, Amber Melena, explains what happened.
She says Victor the pit bull was due to be put down a few months ago after he and more than 20 other dogs were found living in horrific conditions - beaten, forced to fight and chained inside filthy kennels.
But a dedicated rescue group believed this dog could be saved and - after months of rehabilitation - placed him with Amber and her family.
On Friday night, Victor had a chance to return the favor in a grocery parking lot.
Amber says she stopped by the store on a routine shopping trip and brought 3-year-old Victor along for the ride.
"I opened the door like this and put the groceries in," she says.
"I was just reaching for my seatbelt, and right as I was turning to click it in, this door flew open. And he was just standing right there."
Amber found herself face-to-face with a possible car-jacker. The man spooked Victor, too - but the dog was quick to act.
"He turns around and lets out just this gigantic woof," says Amber. "And this man throws himself backwards, trips on himself and falls down."
Police later arrested the man. And thanks to Victor, Amber wasn't hurt.
She says Victor still bears the battle scars from being routinely beaten and forced to fight before he was saved last October from a dog-fighting ring in Graham.
"He's got tears inside his ears; his biggest one is the lip. This lip is supposed to be attached, not kind of poking out," Amber says.
Bullseye Dog Rescue and other shelter workers put the dogs through months of rehabilitation. Ultimately, most had to be put down.
"They didn't make it. They had some various behavioral problems ... because of the victims that they were, the cruelty they endured," says Lorrie Kalmbach of Bullseye Dog Rescue.
Victor was the exception - and Amber says he proved himself exceptional against the car-jacker.
She'd keep him if she could, but for now has agreed to be his foster mom until he can be placed.
"Bullseye has given him a second chance. I think he might have given me a second chance. He's definitely my hero," she says.
Victor and two other pit bulls named Hope and Phoenix have gone through months of rehabilitation and are ready and willing to be adopted into a good home.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/88743137.htmlKIRKLAND, Wash. - A car-jacking suspect messed with the wrong vehicle Friday night in... more
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A family is in mourning after a confrontation between a mother and daughter went tragically wrong.
"What happened was, she came home high again, her daughter, she went to attack my wife, and her own dog attacked her Jade, and they had to shoot the dog because the dog wouldn't release her," said Thomas Fowler, the stepfather of 37-year-old Christine Staab, who died after being mauled by their pet pit-bull.
Fowler says the pit named Jade was doing what comes naturally to a dog; she was protecting his wife, who was trying to take the keys to their home on East Oxford Street in Fishtown away from his drug addicted stepdaughter. According to Fowler, Staab lived at the home when she wasn't in rehab or jail.
"She swung around, knocking a mirror over and a lamp on her daughter, and the dog reacted to it and unfortunately it ended the way it did," Fowler said.
Fowler says the family owns six pit-bulls, all of whom he says were friendly, nonaggressive pets.
Police shot two, Jade and Jade's offspring, when police arrived at the scene after Fowler's wife frantically called for help because Jade had locked her powerful jaws around Christine's neck. http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7288723A family is in mourning after a confrontation between a mother and daughter went... more
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WTF?
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!
MICHAEL VICK IS A DISGRACE.
OUR WORLD HAS MANY HEROS WORTHY OF RECIEVING A "COURAGE" AWARD... MICHAEL VICK IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
THE 'COURAGE' AWARD SHOULD BE TO THE MEN AND WOMAN WHO VOLUNTEERED THEMSELVES TO SAVING THE DOGS THAT SURVIVED THE HORRIFIC CRUELTY INFLICTED BY MICHAEL VICK.
THE P.O.S., MICHAEL VICK, HAS NEVER ONCE APOLOGIZED FOR THE PAIN, SUFFERING AND BARBARIC DEATHS THAT HE CAUSED TO THE DOGS.
Photo: UBA, A former Vick dog
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When it was announced last month that Michael Vick was to be awarded the Ed Block Award for courage, I expressed my utter disbelief and despair. I encouraged readers to post their reactions as well, and I promised to send all to the Ed Block Foundation.
As of yet, I have not received word from anyone at the Foundation. However, I did come across this page on the Ed Block website, meant to serve as a response to the public outcry around Vick's nomination:
http://www.edblock.org/content/michael-vick
I couldn't have been more disappointed as I read the Foundation's defense of Vick's receipt of the award:
"...Michael Vick has been working with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Humane Society of the United States to promote awareness of the evils and dangers associated with dog fighting. As someone who paid a large debt for his role in this lifestyle he is uniquely equipped to educate at risk youths as to their perils..."
Granted, serving prison time does equip Vick to speak first-hand about life in prison. But it doesn't necessarily make someone a good role model, sincere advocate, or a changed person. Serving time for the crimes he committed did not take courage--or even a sense of duty. Vick had no choice in the matter; his sentence was mandated by law.
In an attempt to validate its position on Vick's award conferment, the Foundation goes on to offer quotes from other NFL luminaries.
Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid notes: "He's obviously very well-respected by his teammates."
Perhaps that says more about his teammates than it does about Vick. For someone who brings with him such an appalling history, earning the respect of your teammates ought to be the bare minimum. That respect is then the foundation from which to go forward, the first step in a long road. Not grounds for an award for courage.
Nor was Tony Dungy--Vick's mentor and considered by many to be the NFL's moral compass--disconcerted by the award: "... There are things that players know that each other are going through that maybe the public doesn't know... So I know it's one Michael is proud of, and there didn't seem to be any debate on that team who should get it."
When is someone affiliated with one of these organizations going to show real courage? When are they going to step up and say the right thing? That is, that Michael Vick has a long way to go. Simply attending practice, showing up for games, and not getting arrested is not sufficient cause for commendation. Millions of people across the country go to work and stay out of trouble on a daily basis. It's not a matter of courage, but one of necessity.
Neither does a handful of PR-mandated, 10-minute speaking engagements--nor a large financial donation made as part of a plea bargain--show any particular depth of character. Courage is personally ensuring - without the promise of fame and fortune in the balance - that those around you live free of terror and harm.
HSUS says that "[Vick's] story is the strongest possible example of why dog fighting is a dead end." But assigning Vick hero status sends our youth quite the opposite message. Instead, let's honor those who do the right thing from the beginning (LaDainian Tomlinson, Jarrod Cooper, Tony Gonzalez).
Let's teach our kids that avoiding violence from the beginning is what deserves real recognition. Attempting to redeem yourself after years of inflicting terrible torture does not take courage - it's one's only choice.
Ultimately, I hope that Vick does make good on his word to help more dogs than he's harmed. My intent is not to stop him from him doing that - rather, it is simply to raise the bar. Our heroes must behave heroically in order to be deemed courageous. Showing up is not enough.
-Leslie Smith
http://dogtime.com/ed-block-response-michael-vick-award.htmlWTF?
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!
MICHAEL VICK IS A DISGRACE.
OUR WORLD HAS MANY... more
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Lucey is alive thanks to Angie Cartwright, her loving owner who was willing to pay $168 for a Wisdom Panel MX mixed breed DNA analysis test. Animal control officers in Salina, Kansas were called out in response to a loose dog saw Lucey, "identified" her as a pit bull and took her in.Lucey is alive thanks to Angie Cartwright, her loving owner who was willing to pay... more
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If you guys aren't reading fuckyoupenguin.com, you need to start. Now. Here's the post:
A brief outline of a Fuck You, Penguin post on this photo.
I. The animals.
A. A fawn that was briefly separated from its mother.
B. A pit bull from a shelter.
II. The situation.
A. The fawn wanted to nurse from the pit bull.
1. It is a MALE pit bull.
a. Awkwardly funny, but also adorable.
III. The clincher.
A. Here is a male pit bull from a shelter kissing an abandoned fawn.
1. Link to photo (NSFW).
a. Last straw??
IV. Epilogue.
A. The fawn was later returned to its mother.
V. Conclusion.
A. Kill me right fucking now.If you guys aren't reading fuckyoupenguin.com, you need to start. Now.... more
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