Loading ...Locals Disagree with HSUS Decision to Work With Michael Vick
The word is out about Michael Vick. He’s out of prison and looking to improve his very damaged reputation.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will be working with the disgraced NFL star to educate others about the dangers and cruelty of dogfighting. Vick was convicted of financing and operating a massive dogfighting ring and imprisoned for almost two years.
From the CEO of HSUS, Wayne Pacelle: “The Humane Society of the United States is going to provide an opportunity for him to get involved in some of our anti-dogfighting outreach programs. Animal advocates might be skeptical, as I was, about whether a man who committed such horrible acts to dogs could do anything positive to help animals. But I want to give him the chance to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. If he is serious — and we’ll soon find out — then Vick can help HSUS reach young men in urban communities and tell his story about dogfighting being a dead end.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was, at one point, interested in working with the former NFL star, but those rumors ceased when PETA called for Vick to get a brain scan to check for psychosis and other mental disorders.
Many Clevelanders are extremely passionate about the issue of dogfighting, and wary of the HSUS’s decision. Ashly Smith, a local foster parent for Ohio Basset Rescue and former pit bull owner, had this to say: “Honestly I don’t feel that man deserves retribution in any way…at all. I hate him and he should die the way he killed all those poor dogs.”
Cleveland resident Joan Turnbull, a self-proclaimed animal lover and frequent donor to animal welfare programs, has mixed feelings about it. “I want to believe that Vick is doing this because he has come to realize what a horrific thing he did promoting and participating in dog fights. Animals will greatly benefit if he is being sincere in his outreach attempts because of his stature – young kids will listen to him. I am, however, a bit concerned that he has a hidden agenda – can a leopard (mean, low down, dirty scumbag like Vick) really change his spots?”
A local Cleveland pet blogger, who will remain anonymous, said this: “On one hand, he doesn’t deserve to be forgiven for the animals he relentlessly killed. On the other, he actually might be able to get through to troubled urban youth in inner cities who are active in dogfighting.”
Amy Weitzel, who owns two local rescue groups, says Vick just wants to play football again. “If, and this is a BIG if, Vick really understands what he did and the pain and the suffering he put animals through, then maybe him helping to educate people is a good thing. But I think he is only sorry because he got caught. He saw nothing wrong in what he did and he just wants to get back to football.”
Twitter is also amok with further reactions. April Miller said she doesn’t know what the HSUS is thinking. “Yep, he’s sorry – sorry that he got caught that is…” Lisa Penosky said putting Vick in cahoots with the HSUS is, “about as appropriate as allowing a pedophile into a school!”
What are your thoughts on Vick working with HSUS? Do you think it’s a good idea? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
I must agree with these “locals.” I dont know what HSUS is thinking on this one. Vick only cares about playing football again, his only intention is to clean up his bad rap so he can get back into the NFL.
We think Vick definitely has ulterior motives. He didnt care until he got caught! now what does THAT say about his character?
Vick should not be working wwith HSUS. He should do ssomething that shows he cares on his own, and on his own dime, using his own time. Its easy to see HSUS is going to have to baby step him through this
We don’t like that man at all! He’s mean!
Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch
I agree with the others, this is a PR stunt. Purely self-seeking behavior to get in good with the public again. Shame on Vick. I cant believe HSUS is doing this. They have such successful campaigns already. What do they need him for? Regardless, I will still always support HSUS.
Nice to meet you all. Your mom knows a lot about doggie issues, huh?
Slobbers,
Mango
This is a very delicate issue and because of Vick’s profile it is going to get a lot of press. This mean a lot of ill-informed people commenting on it.
I agree that he only cares now because he got caught. The ONLY reason I can see the USHS doing this is that hopefuly it MIGHT help inner-city kids and adults become aware of the crulty of dog fighting and the consequences. I’m not too positive though that it will work. As far as I am concerned the man is a scum bag and should STILL be in jail and NEVER be allowed to play in the NFL again. In my heart I do feel that USHS is doing the wrong thing. The guy should be out there on his own telling kids that dog fighting is wrong and inhumane. Once a criminal, always a criminal.
Shame on him and the USHS.
I wish I knew how sincere Vic is in this endeavor. If his participation can help people realize how inhumane dog-fighting is, then I think it is a good thing. If he is just doing this to help clear his name, then I don’t like it.
I dont agree with this decision however im anxious to see what will happen. will vick actually make a difference? how are they going to measure his effectiveness is what i want to know.
this man should rot in a cell somewhere…or better yet, put him in a room alone with no guns or electrical lines and 100 PITT BULLS!!!!!!
I am really surprised by all this hate. I think some of you need to seek your God for change and forgiveness. Please tell me none of these people are God fearing because if so, that scary. Micheal has done his time, please move on. I wonder what you life was like before you had Micheal Vick to hate. I don’t support any animal killing but you know that the world we live in. I have read about people who kill other people and don’t get this much attention or haters.
Vick will never be worthy of public redemption.
We all remember the reports of Vick personally hanging dogs by their necks, slamming their skulls into the concrete until they convulsed and died and throwing family pets into the pit to train his fighters to kill. But what about this report, taken from a blog post by Donna, co-founder of BADRAP (www.badrap.org)?
“Jumper cables were clipped onto the ears of underperforming dogs, then, just like with a car, the cables were connected to the terminals of car batteries before lifting and tossing the shamed dogs into the water. We don’t know how many suffered this premeditated murder, but the damage to the pool walls tells a story. It seems that while they were scrambling to escape, they scratched and clawed at the pool liner and bit at the dented aluminum sides like a hungry dog on a tin can.”
He and his cronies actually sat around and thought up indescribably cruel methods of torture and agonizing death for their own pleasure and entertainment. Who watches while another living thing screams, bleeds, shatters, and slowly dies under his own hand? I’ll tell you who- Vlad the Impaler, Josef Mengele, Saddam Hussein… people whom have been granted the title, “monster” by humanity and will forever be hated and reviled. Let us not forget this as we struggle with ‘forgiveness’ of Vick.
Is it possible that Vick was just disadvantaged and didn’t know any better? I don’t believe it! I don’t think evil can be expunged from someone so twisted at their core that they could count their money and cheer as they watched their ‘best dogs’ rip the flesh from each others’ bones and condemn the rest to violent and agonizing deaths at their own hands.
Vick may have served his time for racketeering, but he plead “Not guilty.” for the charges of animal cruelty. His ‘remorse’ for his actions was well-rehearsed. This whole collaborative effort with the HSUS was not his idea- it was a clever PR move staged by his handlers to help buy him public sympathy and help make him appear more deserving of re-instatement to the NFL- his real motive behind all this.
Is he a “powerful and persuasive” entity who can sway at-risk youth and thousands of rabid football fans to buy into his latest rhetoric? Sure. Most sociopaths are disarmingly convincing when they want something; it’s part of the clinical definition. Aligning with Vick is like making a deal with the devil. He’ll be a messenger alright, but the message will be, “Orchestrating and personally conducting the maiming and killing of countless dogs for pleasure and profit while lying, bold-faced, about it for six years is OK, as long as you convince enough saps you’re a victim of your past and were too weak to make moral decisions on your own. Oh, and it helps if you have a good PR machine and lots of photo ops with the doggie crusaders.”
Michael Vick is a cruel and heartless psychopath. No way should HSUS take him on, I feel betrayed by them for doing this.
First, I have to agree with Windy, posted May 27th. I don’t believe Vick has any real appreciation for what he did. I don’t believe he’s sorry, just sorry to get caught. That said, it can’t hurt him to spend time with people who love and appreciate animals and learn how to properly care for them. I love pit bulls, have owned some and always champion the breed, but everyone remembers they are killers and not that they are loving, loyal, responsible pets when bred and raised properly. Let him see that they are good for something other than violence. Maybe he’ll be shamed into a better understanding of what he did.
At the very least, if he convinces just one kid not to fight their dog, he will have done something good. And everyone deserves a chance to do something good.
NO WAY should HSUS take him on. This is a huge mistake.
What a betrayal of the HSUS to its members. Soon to be ex members I hope. Having Sociopath Vick as a voice for the animals. How sick.
There must be some money in it for the HSUS. When the case first broke, the HSUS was drumming up donations to care the Vick dogs.. An outright lie. They wanted was to murder all the dogs.
However, now they topped that caper by going in cahoots with Vick.
This is one sick org. Almost as sick as Vick.
Makes even PETA look good.
After experienceing The Humane Society of the U.S. first hand by a personal experience involving them, I do not trust their motives…PERIOD. They do not seem to be a Humane Society at all…but rather a money racket with a store front claiming to be for the humane treatment of animals. I. for one, would not associate my name with the likes of Michael Vick.