Mike Vick is letting the world know that he wants to get a pet dog for his kids to play with when his probation period is over. In 2007, the judge who sentenced Vick forbade him to own a dog until the completion of his probation sometime in 2012.
"I would love to have another dog," Vick said. "My entire life, I grew up with a pet in my house. The last few years were the first that I haven't had one. My daughter is used to it, my son is used to it. I feel bad for them and the entire situation, what I did. It could be part of my rehabilitation process showing people I do care about animals sincerely and genuinely."
PETA couldn't wait to use their Facebook page to blast the notion of the Eagles quarterback ever owning a pet again.
PETA posted, "The guy whose name has become synonymous with hanging, electrocuting, drowning, and shooting dogs and forcing them to rip each other to pieces in dogfighting rings is now bemoaning the fact that he can't have a canine companion. Color us confused."
The Humane Society embraced Mike Vick when he completed his prison sentence in 2009. They agreed to work with him in spreading the message that dogfighting is unspeakably cruel and horribly wrong. Vick has spoken out against animal cruelty at fourteen public events to date. He's appeared in several cities including Philadelphia and Baltimore as well as non-NFL cities like Durham, NC and New Haven, CT.
I admit that I was disappointed when the Humane Society chose to work with Vick. I thought he was using them to rehab his image and regain endorsements.
I consider Vick's crimes against dogs to be worthy of the death penalty. I have no tolerance for animals being used, let alone dying, for the sake of human entertainment. I root for the bull to kill the matador in every bullfight.
Yet American society and Vick's judge felt that Vick's fair sentence should be a couple years in prison. He served his time and now he's out earning and living and raising his kids as a married man.
While PETA and the majority of their drones spent their mornings antagonizing Vick instead of promoting animal kindness, Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of the Humane Society published a letter examining a deeper level of thought concerning Michael Vick as a man and future pet owner.
"I don't believe (Vick) should be forever banned from adopting a dog," Pacelle wrote. He also mentions that Vick has been undergoing weekly psychological counseling for the last 18 months in addition to performing his work in communicating the horrors of animal cruelty.
Pacelle believes that it's too soon for Vick to own a pet now. Yet he sees how pet ownership would be good for Vick, his family and the dogs they adopt.
Color the Humane Society compassionate.
Vick's future pet poodles, beagles and chihuahuas will likely be some of the most spoiled dogs in the history of pets. With his millions, Vick can afford to feed them T-bone steaks for breakfast, prime rib for lunch and filet mignon for dinner.
His kids will lavish their pets with love after having been deprived of dogs for years by the judicial system and their dad's crimes. The lucky dogs will probably eat at the dinner table with the human Vicks and run freer than even a PETA person's pet.
PETA, some of their negative-minded followers, and even the Humane Society's own critics of President Pacelle should keep their energy focused on ending dogfighting & bullfighting, eliminating animal shows and circuses, and shutting down the factory farm system's continued animal abuse savagery. Ranting against Vick owning a pet dog is putting a negative focus on a situation where healing of a hardened heart is taking place.
Many animal shelters are jammed with dogs that their owners can no longer afford to care for due to the deep economic recession. If Vick adopted five of those dogs and welcomed them into his loving family while giving them the run of his land, there would be win-win situations for all involved.
A side note on PETA:
PETA's newest pro athlete spokesman is Chad Ochocinco who has joined their "Ink, Not Mink", anti- fur campaign.
Ochocinco regularly tweets about his love of McDonald's food. He even spent a day in 2010 working at a McDonald's and tweeted the following after the experience: "Thank you MCDONALDS for making one of my childhood dreams come true, not only do i eat it now i am a part of the GOLDEN ARCH".
In 2010, Ochocinco promoted the McDonald's Mac Snack Wrap, which is made with beef. In July of 2010, Ochocinco discussed his preference for McDonald's on the Wendy Williams Show.
PETA has an active anti-McDonald's campaign called McCruelty where they protest the fast food chain's outdated and inhumane methods for slaughtering chickens. PETA encourages people to boycott and demonstrate against McDonald's.
So while condemning Vick's chances of raising a pet dog with his kids, PETA is using Ochocinco in ads despite his dedication and devotion to McDonald's, a corporation they rail against. Either PETA didn't do their research, or they pick & choose who to condemn and who to throw passes.
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