Posted on 06/29/2013 5:46:05 AM PDT by kanawa
Best Friends Animal Society in Utah suffered a significant lost last week. Lucas, who was at one time Michael Vick’s grand champion fighting dog, has lived the past five years at Best Friends. Due to declining health, last Wednesday night he had to be put down.
As the prized fighting dog of Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, the courts ordered that Lucas could never be adopted; instead he would spend the remainder of his life being cared for at Best Friends. Lucas, along with 21 other dogs from Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels that were labeled “most challenging,” arrived at Best Friends Animal Society in January 2008. The Vicktory dogs, as they became known, proved to the world that even the most damaged of them could be rehabilitated.
Lucas, even though he could never be adopted, ended up being the most social and well-behaved out of all of them. Although he never could go home to a family, Best Friends became his family. Lucas’ friendly nature made him a great fit as a greeter at Best Friends.
“He made everyone feel special just by being himself,” said Gregory Castle, co-founder and CEO of Best Friends. “Lucas loved his ambassadorial role and had the next best life to a permanent home with a loving family.”
Lucas was estimated to be around 13 years old when his health began to take a turn for the worse. Lucas suffered from Babesia, a common disease in fighting dogs, as it is carried by a blood parasite and spread through bite wounds. There is no cure for Babesia, though it is treatable. Lucas would occasionally suffer flare ups that would cause anemia and weaken him. Combined with his old age, it was time to say goodbye.
Lucas was an inspiration to so many. He changed the perception of fighting dogs and what they could become. He loved everyone he met and had a huge impact on their lives. He is greatly missed by everyone at Best Friends Animal Society and everyone who got a chance to know him.
“Lucas was indeed a champion,” wrote Castle. “But his greatest victories were outside the ring. He won our hearts and taught the world about the integrity and depth of character that is a dog.”
Once asked as to where he plans to spend his life after death (I don't remember the exact question), Will Rogers says he doesn't know where he's going but if he had his druthers he would like to go where the dogs go! Me too.
On one hand, I’d like to read it because I feel strongly about what happened and know it’s an important book to read, but on the other I understand it’s a difficult read because of the graphic nature of the abuse detailed in the book. I haven’t been able to reconcile the two — yet. Maybe one day....
And what people tend to forget is that there was no death in God’s original creation — ergo, animals were always intended to be eternal just like humanity (and they were created before humans). What God intended will be fulfilled, despite man’s worst intentions.
It’s only been in the past 100 years or so that imbecilic arguments have arisen to question God’s love for all of his creation: animals don’t have souls therefore they can’t get to Heaven (Scripture implies otherwise when it uses the same term to refer to humanity and animals). They don’t need salvation and surely no thinking person would exclude beings not requiring salvation? Otherwise God and the angels both would need to be excluded from Heaven! Such arguments belong in File 13.
Absolutely! I believe my family will be waiting for me when I get to Heaven and I hope that my precious animals will be there too.
I am an artist, dog portraits mostly. I have a painting in my mind that I have not done yet. I plan on going back through all the photos of my many, many animals who have died and painting them all on the steps of a big house.
I am sure someone has done this already, it is hard to come up with something completely original but I have not seen a painting like that.
CS Lewis remarked in a few different places that dogs and cats pick up a certain amount of humanity from associating with us, and the best of them pick up a lot from being in a good human family. In Screwtape he has the demons noting angrily that everyone who associates with a certain Christian household acquires the "stink" of holiness after awhile. It's not difficult to suppose that those humans who are faith-filled can somehow spread their reflected holiness to the animals they love. As the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, per Paul (1 Cor 7) might not our animals be imbued with our love so that they can enjoy eternity with us?
One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotations (from _The Great Divorce_ and discovered on a FR thread) where he describes a woman in heaven surrounded by children, angels, birds and beasts:
—
‘What are all these animals? A cat - two cats - dozens of cats. And all those dogs ... why, I can’t count them. And the birds. And the horses.’
‘They are her beasts.’
‘Did she keep a sort of zoo? I mean, this is a bit too much.’
‘Every beast and bird that came near her had its place in her love. In her they became themselves. And now the abundance of life she has in Christ from the Father flows over into them.’
Yes, thank you for adding that. I didn’t know the best way to convey that idea in this thread— the aspect of creation before the fall. Perhaps we tend to forget because, being fallen, the concept of a perfect creation is not able to be fully comprehended...
That is a nice idea. Regardless of originality, it is a very special way to pay tribute to the special animals in your life.
What you said my friend.
Lucas found love.
I thought of this Lucas while seeing your post: http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/13218/TN/US/
I have often wondered how Tennessee Lucas is living after his abuse. Tried but couldn’t find an update.
I look at that poor dog’s scarred face and sad eyes and it is heartbreaking.
Thank the Lord he found love before he passed.
Those are not mean or angry eyes... Vick is a piece of human manure.
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