Second Chance for the Michael Vick Pit Bulls

If you've watched the news over the past year or so, you are probably well aware of the Michael Vick dog-fighting fiasco.

99.9% of the time when dogs are seized as part of a dog-fighting ring, they are immediately euthanized because it is assumed that they are too aggressive or unpredictable to be placed in a home.

As most pit bull lovers know, however, dog aggression is not the same thing as aggression toward humans. Moreover, even if a dog is scarred, which is usually the only evidence evaluators have to determine whether a dog has been involved in fighting, it does not necessarily mean that that dog was used as a fighter. Pit bulls, and other dogs, sometimes get scarred as a result of unintentional scuffles, skin diseases, or other accidents and maladies. Other times, pit bulls that were intended as fighters end up with scars as a result of being "rolled," or tested against another fighter, to see if they will fight. Even if they won't fight, they still end up with scars, which almost always means a death sentence if they are confiscated.

Amazingly, a Federal Judge permitted Michael Vick's seized dogs to be temperament evaluated rather than being immediately euthanized. Of the 49 seized, only one was deemed too aggressive to handle, and that dog was immediately euthanized. The other 48 have been going through testing and rehabilitation for the last several months, and several are almost ready for new homes.

Please visit BADRAP's page about the Michael Vick dogs to learn more. Recently, the last of the defendants in this case was tried and sentenced, so organizations involved with Vick's dogs can now begin to speak openly about their status, their rehabilitation, and their futures.