SOUND OFF: Should Michael Vick Have a Dog?
How do you feel about the NFL player's ownership of a dog after being convicted of funding and orchestrating a dogfighting ring?
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, arguably known more now for his dogfighting ring conviction than his football career, announced this week that his family owns a dog.
Since being released from prison in 2009, Vick has spoken out against animal cruelty, and the Humane Society president has said in the past that he believed Vick would make a good pet owner.
Some believe Vick's apologies are sincere, and that welcoming of a dog into his family is a good opportunity to teach his children. Others feel, particularly with Vick's admission to hanging and drowning dogs, that he doesn't deserve another chance.
Where do you stand on the issue? Has Michael Vick convinced you that he has changed his ways? If not, is there anything he could do to make you comfortable with him owning a dog? Should those convicted of abusing animals be given a second chance? Or, did they lose that chance?
Diane E. Peterson
7:40 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
No No No........ that would be like putting a fox in a hen house. He gave up that right to owning a dog when he did the most despicable, horrible atrocities against an animal. He NOT only was involved in dog fighting but, drowned & hanged them by his own admission. What else did he do that he didn't get caught or admit to? I say he should still be in prison to ROT! He's one sick individual!!!!
Terese Bohaxiu-Dicastiglione
9:08 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
It sickens me that Vick has a dog - he needs a dog like I need a hole in the head! In my opinion, he has lost the privilege of owning any pet forever. No poor innocent dog deserves Vick as his owner. If he learned anything about himself in prison, he should have come to the realization that he is an abuser and cannot trust himself around pets where he has all the power over the animal's well-being. To me it is just an in-your-face action that 'I can get a dog so I will'. There is a difference between an uninformed pet owner like you may see on 'Animal Cops' where the authorities can work with the owner to correct a bad situation and keep the pets, versus Vick's egregious conduct 'beyond the beyond'. I can barely stand the fact that he is allowed unsupervised around children.
cameran
9:19 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
No way and he also should not have been able to play again either. Complete disgrace!!!!!!
G. Dub
10:28 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Well, as much as I hate the fact that anyone would think dog fighting is ok enough to do for any reason. He got busted. As far as the law is concerned he served the requirements of the court. (Although it was nowhere near the sentance I would have laid out before I dropped the gavel if I were the judge.)
And in the word of the law, was rehabilitated. Hopefully this guy takes extra special care of this dog, learning from his (not mistake) but blatant, selfish disregard for ethic, when he willfully, and conciously chose over common decency and sense, law, and innate human compassion to refrain from such activity, when he did what he did.) I still think he has no remorse for what he had done, but knows not to cave to such activities again.
Elaine Dahlgren
1:44 pm on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Vick should be castrated!!
J
3:30 pm on Saturday, October 20, 2012
We don't protect kids soon enough in a threatening situation and we don't always save the animals before it's too late! There is no guaranteed right to own a dog! Sorry if his kids want a dog - they are too young to know what their dad did. My kids can have a dog because I would love and protect and provide for a dog. His kids don't get to have a dog because he tortured, killed and promoted the horrific act of organized dog fighting. It's not about the law it's about morality and humanity! Pity the dog!!!!!!
Bob Thomas
8:47 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Vick IS a dog besides being a loser.
Christopher D’Arpino
9:16 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
This is a very dissappointing turn of events to say the least. The most dissappointing is that the president of the HSUS(humane society of the United States) an extremely well respected national organization,has come out and said that He and Vick have spent much time together and he believes Vick is reformed... i will admit my forst thought was "reformed" means he gave a huge donation.. Now, wether or not the president of this organization was being sincere or business savvy I just think this is not something this group should have come out and supported... There are thiose in the animal rescue profession who think that Vick has actually brought a lot of attention to the horrible dog fighting that goes on,because he was a celebrity. Taht may be a silver lining,but it is still a dark cloud. When looking at who to donate to, look local,do some homework and ask some questions. Fundraising has been really hard the past two years,REALLY hard!! The South Shore Disaster Animal Rescue Team is a local team,and does NOT think Vick should EVER be around another dog EVER again.. This story just is so sad and strange to me....
G. Dub
7:15 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012
@ J:
Law does not work on morality.
If it were to work as such, we'd all be under a totalitarian state. So, law, as the ruling factor, aside of morality, is as unfeeling as Vick was towards those poor souls. It is unfair the law does not place the same individual value on other creatures as much as it places value on people. Though we are getting there. We just need more advocates to speak on behalf of all our fellow creatures. They speak every day, but way far too many care not to listen.