Yes, I love him and my three min-pins, Pomeranian and coon hound. The pit has the least confusion as to who is and isn't the boss around here.
The Pomeranian not so much!
Posted on 09/20/2010 6:20:56 PM PDT by Eaker
In 2007, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick made headlines, but it wasn't for his performance on the field. Set up on the grounds of his Virginia home was Bad Newz, a pseudo kennel that was really a dog-fighting business stocked with 51 pit bulls. Journalist Jim Gorant first wrote about the sordid case for "Sports Illustrated." This week, his new book, "The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption," hits stores. We asked Gorant to tell us what happened to the animals and share tales from this latest project.
Of the 51 dogs, 47 have new owners, and one even participates in a reading program for children. Can you tell us more about these dogs? It's incredible, especially given the hoops people had to jump through to save the dogs from being euthanized. Both PETA and the Humane Society were advocating for that route, noting that there are thousands of dogs without violent histories that need homes. There was also the liability issue for the government, which had to consider what, if any, upside there would be to letting the dogs live. If one of Vick's pit bulls was placed in a new home and something happened, there would be backlash. But it paid off when you look at a dog like Jonny Justice, who's part of the reading program "Paws for Tales." He's nothing but a super-sweet dog who loves kids.
Why did you decide to turn your "Sports Illustrated" article on Michael Vick into a book? It was a combination of things. When I was working on the "Sports Illustrated" piece, the backstory of the Vick case was certainly compelling, but I wasn't sure there was enough there for something larger like a book. What really convinced me though was a call I got from the editor who acquired the book. After reading my article, he phoned and we talked about how his parents had rescued a pit bull, and how misunderstood the breed was in our society. So I thought to myself, "If someone is interested enough to contact me about doing something bigger, there must be an audience out there." There was also the fact that I'd focused mostly on telling the dog story in the magazine, but there's also a strong people component, which is what this book is so much about: the individuals who worked to rehab the dogs and those who adopted Vick's pit bulls.
Good doggie ping!
I was driving from the Grand Canyon North into Utah and stopped for a bit to see the beautiful scenery.
Realized I was in a pet cemetary... huge one.. They claimed they had 18 of his dogs there.
They probably did. Several of the dogs were sent out there for rehab. Many were very sick. I believe National Geographic had a documentary about the dogs as they were being rehabbed.
Sickening.
Thanks for the ping Eaker. You probably have a PittBull yourself, judging by your comment, and I know we all love our dogs.
I pray that all of those rehabilitated dogs ‘stay nice’. Many breeds have it in them to become aggressive under certain conditions.
Yes, I love him and my three min-pins, Pomeranian and coon hound. The pit has the least confusion as to who is and isn't the boss around here.
The Pomeranian not so much!
Paging Chet99!
Lol, laughing about the Pomeranian. My grandaughter has a really tiny one and it’s so cute.
I have a Yorkie and he once snapped at a newspaper when I popped him. I do have some fear of certain breeds.
My daughter and son in law used to have two Doberman and never had a bit of trouble until my grandaugher was about two years old. Two times one of the Doberman nipped her on the face! Luckily it wasn’t serious.
They did have the dog put down, were afraid to give him to another family.
I think many of them went to Dog Town where they could be cared for and perhaps retrained. Some may be able to be placed but if not they remain at Dog Town.
My sleeping angel!
Very pretty pup!
Thank you! He is my heart. Very misunderstood breed. He is super sweet! And a chicken!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.