Michael Vick, Even If You're No Longer Banned from Having Dogs, You Don't Deserve Any

Oh, here we go. Michael Vick wants to get a dog. "Certainly wouldn't be a Pit Bull," he told Piers Morgan last week during an interview. 

Vick has said as much in the past, but in the past we were protected from him owning a dog because a judge had banned him from owning a dog. Now that the three-year ban is up, Michael Vick says he wants to get a dog -- for his kids. 

You see, his kids haven't been able to have a dog of their own after their father killed 13 of them by hanging, shooting, electrocuting, and slamming them repeatedly on the ground  -- not to mention engaging in horrific acts like throwing family pets into the ring for dogs to attack, along with the more garden-variety abuse of fighting dogs. 

Not being allowed to own a dog hasn't sat well with Michael Vick. 

"I still deal with my kids each and every day, and for the last three years, not being able to have a dog, because of my acts, I just don't think that's fair," he told Piers Morgan. 

In Michael Vick's world, it isn't fair that his kids can't own a dog after he killed and abused so many of them. 

"I can’t take that dream away from them," Vick goes on. "That’s selfish on my behalf."

You can't win, right? You kill and torture dogs for years, and then you're selfish if you don't get another dog. 

"Got to find a way to make it right and, you know, I put everything in God’s hands to make it right."

So, remember, when the story breaks that Michael Vick has stopped being selfish and has stopped trying to take away his kids' dream and has finally bought his dog -- certainly not a Pit Bull -- rest assured that the decision was made by the lord and what He deemed best. It was out of Michael Vick's hands. 

To us, it looks like Michael Vick is saying anything he can to temper the outrage that is likely to occur once he does buy his dog -- for his kids.

You know who doesn't want Michael Vick to buy a dog? The ASPCA. When the ASPCA doesn't want you to buy a dog, you probably should take a moment and listen. We know, it can be hard to sit down and tell your kids that the ASPCA really doesn't want to to get a dog, but maybe at least you can read the group's blog post together, at least to let your kids know what's waiting for them when you do get that dog:  

Despite spending 19 months in prison for running an illegal interstate dog fighting business, Vick hasn't expressed a shred of empathy toward the dogs he brutalized and killed. And rather than talk about the horrors of dog fighting, he has consistently chosen to focus on the consequences of getting caught. In a nutshell, his actions are self-serving. We've seen little remorse and even less compassion. And let's not forget, he caused unspeakable suffering to hundreds of innocent dogs. Frankly, the ASPCA has serious concerns about Vick's ability to be a responsible pet parent.

Michael Vick, of course, has owned a lot of dogs in his life -- 13 dead, 51 seized from Bad Newz Kennels in 2007, with 47 ultimately surviving after being rehabilitated at places like Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, who took in 22.

We should remember these dogs, who have names like Jasmine, Ellen, Sweet Pea, Hector, Uba, Lucas, Oscar, Zippy, Teddles, Handsome Dan, Ray, Gracie, Harriet, Ginger, and Jonny Justice. Some work as therapy dogs, visiting cancer patients and working with children and the elderly; some live on farms and in sanctuaries, running free; others compete in agility contests and work to achieve their Canine Good Citizen certifications; some travel to schools, educating kids about animal welfare; and many are in forever homes, curled safely on the couch.

And some of them are still wounded, trying to recover from what happened to them, when a group of men abused them and beat them and trained them to kill other dogs. One of these men now wants another dog -- for his kids.  

Are you okay with Michael Vick having another dog? Or does it feel like a knife in your gut? Let us know in the comments. 

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Why You’re NOT Doing a Good Deed When You “Rescue” that Poor, Pleading Pet Store Puppy

“If you think that puppy mills are so horrible, why aren’t you buying these dogs and rescuing them from the awful situations they’re in? Why aren’t you encouraging your clients to buy them so they don’t end up in shelters or rescues?” This is a summary of a comment left on one of my previous Dogster blog posts about the behavioral effects of puppy mills.

It’s rare for me to respond to comments on the Dogster blogs I’ve written (time is a precious thing when you’re an entrepreneur like me!), but I felt as though this particular comment needed addressing since it taps into what I find to be a very pervasive myth – that you are doing a “good deed” when you purchase a dog from a pet store or “rescuing” this dog from the puppy milling cycle.

Buying a puppy from a pet store is NOT “rescuing” the puppy from the mill cycle; it is making a cash contribution to the perpetuation of a cycle of greed which sees puppies as commodities. Puppies are big business to all millers, and like all businesses, puppy milling operates on the “supply and demand” principle. No business stays open without client support. Each pet store puppy purchased positively reinforces the pet store and miller for inappropriate breeding practices.

Of course, I hate seeing a single dog suffer for any reason. I really hate seeing millions of dogs suffer for a single reason – lining the wallets of individuals who prey on the pain of sentient beings.

It’s hard to see a six month old puppy, too big for his crate, with his large, sad, brown eyes begging you to “please take me home. Get me out of here.” But essentially, taking that dog home only opens up that crate for the next six-month-old dog who has missed the opportunity to spend his critical stages of development with a family who will treat him well. Eventually, another well-intentioned dog lover will feel pity for him and take him home. The cycle continues, ad infinitum.

I hate the puppy mill industry on two levels. I hate it for the dogs – I hate that mill breeding dogs are made to live in squalor their entire lives, never seeing a moment of compassion, never knowing what it’s like to feel grass on their feet, the fun of learning a new trick, the pleasure of a deep sigh on a warm bed after a great hiking adventure.

I hate that these dogs are given inadequate medical care, inappropriate nutrition, and have substandard living conditions. I hate that puppies are taken from their litters too early, transported during critical fear periods, and are placed in environments which are dangerous to their physical and behavioral development. I hate that my new client’s Chihuahua mix, recently purchased from a local pet shop at five months old, is terrified of children and most adults, and has already learned that biting hard is a very effective strategy for creating space, already drawing blood daily, nearly every time someone tries to touch him.

I hate the industry for what it does to pet owners too. The mill industry is a scam, and its employees are con artists – selling dog owners and their dogs a lifetime of frustration for exorbitant prices. My new client wanted a cute and wonderful puppy. She loves dogs. Her heart melted when she saw this puppy cowering and trembling in his crate, and she took him home. Now she’s afraid of her puppy, and her puppy is terrified of life. She didn’t get a pet, she got a behavior modification project; likely the result of a combination of poor genetics and extremely poor experiences during critical socialization periods. She wanted to take her new doggy to new places, new experiences, to give him all the opportunities he’d been denied in his early puppyhood. She won’t be able to do that for some time, and is likely looking at an extensive training investment (financially and in terms of her time), plus a lifetime of careful management.

People who buy puppies from pet stores are not bad people. I would venture to say that virtually every person who purchases a puppy from a pet store a) doesn’t know about the mill industry or b) does know, falls in love, and honestly wants to help this one dog experience a fantastic life with a loving family. But how we as pet owners invest our money is bigger than us, bigger than this one dog on this one day in this one pet shop.

Will the investment you make the next time you bring a dog into your home break or perpetuate the cycle?

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What Do You Do About Your Dog if You’re Raptured Away This Weekend?

The folks at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets say they'll put the wag back in your dog's tail in a post-Judgment-Day world (Image: Flickr photostrem of darrylcuz)

I am really out of the loop. I’d scheduled a birthday lunch with my mother-in-law for May 22, but I recently learned that there may be a little conflict: Judgment Day is predicted for May 21. I hate it when that happens!

This could change our plans a little, if Judgment Day pundits like Oakland minister Harold Camping are right. There are all kinds of renditions of what may happen tomorrow on the Day of Reckoning. Among them:

FYI Rev. Camping didn't get the Rapture date right last time. He has high hopes for this one.

• This is the kindest and gentlest of the predictions. Jesus will come, and the saved are going straight to heaven. (FYI, the event is called the Rapture, because if you’ve committed your life to Jesus and he personally sends you to heaven, you’re probably going to be pretty rapturous.) In this scenario, the rest of us may remain here on earth, slogging away at our tedious lives, noticing nothing different except, perhaps, that there are more empty seats at church. The world may or may not end in October.

• Earthquakes will tear the world asunder. That’s what Camping predicts. The saved (a mere 2 percent of the world’s population, apparently) will go straight to heaven. Everyone else, the other place.

• The saved will go to heaven (this seems to be a common theme), and the rest of us will be having a very, very bad time on Earth on May 22 and henceforth.

But why am I writing about this on Dogster? Because some people who are planning for the Rapture are also making plans for their pets.

The idea is that dogs don’t go to heaven (this is not the kind of heaven I’d want to be in), so if you love your dog, you’re going to want to make sure he gets a new home.

I’m not sure how that works, because in some renditions of Judgment Day, people who remain here sound like they’re in for a rather dicey time, and may be thinking more about how to avoid the rampant fire and brimstone than where to buy Maggie her kibble.

What’s a dog to do if his owner has been Raptured away?

If his owner had signed up for post-Rapture care with the atheists at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets-USA, the dog should be OK. According to the company’s website:

Left behind? Not a problem, says Eternal Earth-Bound Pets (Image: Flickr photostream of "mostly by me & my girls")

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward.  Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.

But who are these people?

Our representatives have been screened to ensure that they are atheists, animal lovers, are moral / ethical with no criminal background, have the ability and desire to rescue your pet and the means to retrieve them and ensure their care for your pet’s natural life.

Well, you can’t complain about the price:

For $135.00 we will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved.  Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $20.00 fee. A small price to pay for your peace of mind and the health and safety of your four legged and feathered friends

The service claims to have representatives in 28 states now, and they’re standing by to take your dog. As of about a week ago, the organization told the Washington Post it had some 250 clients.

Some fine print to be aware of, should you sign up:

If  subscriber loses his/her faith and/or the Rapture occurs and subscriber is not Raptured (aka  is “left behind”) EE-BP disclaims any liability; no refund will be tendered.

Is this a joke? According to the company’s website, absolutely not.

This is a serious offer to our Christian friends who believe in the Second Coming and honestly care about the future of their pets after the Rapture occurs.

As for my plans on May 22, I think I’ll wait until Sunday morning to buy my mother-in-law a gift, just in case.

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Photo Caption Contest: You’re a Doll

Hopefully the folks at Disney won’t show up at my door for this  but it sure lends itself to a variety of caption options. Have fun, Dogsters! To enter simply submit your caption idea(s) by commenting on this post before Thursday, January 20th. The winner will be announced that day and will get a 50-Zealie prize.

Photo ©Mark Rogers Photography 2011, All Rights Reserved

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