What Happened to Michael Vick’s Pets (and What Should Happen to Him)?

With today’s release of Michael Vick from prison, and the move to his next punishment phase of home confinement and work release on a construction site, to me it brings to mind two questions for discussion:  1) What happened to Vick’s animals?  and 2) Should he be able to re-gain the privileged life he threw away so recklessly?

With regard to question Number 1, I found a collection of photos about Vick’s dogs (at least some of them).  I’m happy to report that the majority of his many animals have received a great deal of love and care (and likely behavior modification training), and seem to be flourishing in loving new homes.   Of the 51 dogs found at the Bad Newz Kennel in Surry County in 2007, 22 are at a refuge in Utah and 25 were distributed among animal shelters for  adoption, the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch reported.  The Best Friends Animal Society took in the hardest cases. The group agreed that the dogs can remain at the 33,000-acre Utah retreat if they cannot be rehabilitated.

On question Number 2, my personal answer is a resounding “no”.  In my humble opinion someone who is capable of facilitating the life those animals were forced to lead needs serious behavior modification therapy himself before he should be able to mix with society, and frankly, is not deserving of the “finer things in life” that he was previously entitled to.  However, I must also temper that answer by saying that I understand that he is a father of two children who don’t deserve to have their lives adversely affected by the inhumane acts of their felon father.  That being the case, I believe he should be provided with whatever career opportunities he can justifiably earn – inside the NFL or outside it – but he should under no circumstances be given special treatment because of talent that he previously possessed since he chose to throw it away with irresponsible behavior and lack of conscience.

In closing out this article, I do want to mention that the opinions expressed in the article are strictly the writer’s personal opinion and are not meant to be taken as the opinion of the Home Fur-ever Rescue organization.