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Phila Inquirer Editorial: What About Vick's Victims?
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- Published 08/29/2009
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Phila Inquirer Editorial: What About Vick's Victims?
What about Vick's victims?
Those caring for some of the animals rescued from his dogfighting ring
still wonder about the quarterback's sincerity.
By Francis Battista
8/28/09
Twenty-two dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting operation were
brought to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary last year. They arrived at our
Utah facility in various states of trauma. While we've had many breakthroughs
with the dogs, some have yet to recover. And some may never recover
from the abuse and neglect they suffered in Vick's care.
To our knowledge, neither Vick, his handlers, nor the NFL has called to
ask how the dogs are doing. And these very real, living victims of the
crime are nowhere to be found in the continuing debate about Vick's
rehabilitation.
Vick's handlers had shopped him around to various national animal
organizations, including Best Friends Animal Society, while he was still
in prison. We were interested, but we did not want to involve Vick in
our work and effectively give him our endorsement unless he actually
demonstrated his remorse by taking on some unheralded volunteer
work. Perhaps it would be spending six months or a year doing helpful
chores at some animal shelter, or visiting community centers to talk to
kids without any fanfare or expectation of personal gain.
When Vick was busted for dogfighting, the publicity generated a wave
of discussion and public examination of the horrors of this awful sport.
The public outrage surrounding his arrest and conviction were probably
the most effective measures against animal fighting since they closed
the Roman Coliseum.
Now Vick has returned to football in an Eagles uniform, playing in his
first game since his conviction this week. Reports from the locker room
say teammates are supportive, relying on the argument that he has
paid his debt to society. But Philly fandom is clearly divided, with
detractors saying the Eagles and the NFL have shown that all their talk
about character and role models is just that - talk.
Vick is also working with the Humane Society of the United States.
Unfortunately, the Humane Society's well-meaning involvement is taken
as a character reference and apology for a man who killed dogs with
his bare hands in unbelievably cruel ways.
The Eagles are complicit in that they brought Vick on board before he
had taken even the slightest redemptive measures for animals. The
team satisfied his handlers' agenda by facilitating his immediate return
to the privileged confines of the NFL, with nothing more to go on than
the word of a known liar and animal abuser.
Vick may have paid his legal debt to society, but how does one begin
to assess his heart and mind when he has done little more than say
what he had to say to get his job back?
More than anything, this episode demonstrates what little regard our
society has for nonhuman life. We compartmentalize violent, antisocial
behavior according to the species of the victim.
Vick personally drowned, electrocuted with jumper cables, and body-
slammed dogs to death, when he could have paid a veterinarian to put
them down with lethal injections. After all, he paid someone to
meticulously remove the teeth - roots and all - of Georgia, one of the
dogs now at Best Friends, so she could be bred without endangering
her male partner.
Would someone who expressed that level of aggression and violence
against another person, even without a death involved, ever be
considered for immediate readmission to professional sports?
This isn't just a sentimental animal lover's assessment. Animal cruelty
is a proven gateway for violent criminals ranging from the Columbine
kids to your run-of-the-mill wife-beater.
Imagine if the bodies of those animals had turned up at random in
Philadelphia neighborhoods over the course of several months. Would
the good people of the city want the person responsible playing
quarterback for their beloved team?
As it stands, Vick is well on his way to regaining his former status,
thanks in large part to the Eagles and the Humane Society. I hope
the Humane Society's gamble pays off for the animals.
Vick certainly appeared concerned about returning to football as
soon as possible. We would like to be more convinced of his concern
for animals, if only he could humble himself by changing water,
scooping poop, or sweeping floors at a local shelter - where dogs
slated for deaths more merciful than those Vick meted out wait
hopefully for simple acts of human kindness.
Francis Battista is a cofounder of Best Friends Animal Society, which
has cared for some of the most traumatized dogs rescued from Vick's
dogfighting operation. For more information, see www.bestfriends.org.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090828_What_about_Vick_s_victims_.html
What about Vick's victims?
Those caring for some of the animals rescued from his dogfighting ring
still wonder about the quarterback'
By Francis Battista
8/28/09
Twenty-two dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dogfighting operation were
brought to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary last year. They arrived at our
Utah facility in various states of trauma. While we've had many breakthroughs
with the dogs, some have yet to recover. And some may never recover
from the abuse and neglect they suffered in Vick's care.
To our knowledge, neither Vick, his handlers, nor the NFL has called to
ask how the dogs are doing. And these very real, living victims of the
crime are nowhere to be found in the continuing debate about Vick's
rehabilitation.
Vick's handlers had shopped him around to various national animal
organizations, including Best Friends Animal Society, while he was still
in prison. We were interested, but we did not want to involve Vick in
our work and effectively give him our endorsement unless he actually
demonstrated his remorse by taking on some unheralded volunteer
work. Perhaps it would be spending six months or a year doing helpful
chores at some animal shelter, or visiting community centers to talk to
kids without any fanfare or expectation of personal gain.
When Vick was busted for dogfighting, the publicity generated a wave
of discussion and public examination of the horrors of this awful sport.
The public outrage surrounding his arrest and conviction were probably
the most effective measures against animal fighting since they closed
the Roman Coliseum.
Now Vick has returned to football in an Eagles uniform, playing in his
first game since his conviction this week. Reports from the locker room
say teammates are supportive, relying on the argument that he has
paid his debt to society. But Philly fandom is clearly divided, with
detractors saying the Eagles and the NFL have shown that all their talk
about character and role models is just that - talk.
Vick is also working with the Humane Society of the United States.
Unfortunately, the Humane Society's well-meaning involvement is taken
as a character reference and apology for a man who killed dogs with
his bare hands in unbelievably cruel ways.
The Eagles are complicit in that they brought Vick on board before he
had taken even the slightest redemptive measures for animals. The
team satisfied his handlers' agenda by facilitating his immediate return
to the privileged confines of the NFL, with nothing more to go on than
the word of a known liar and animal abuser.
Vick may have paid his legal debt to society, but how does one begin
to assess his heart and mind when he has done little more than say
what he had to say to get his job back?
More than anything, this episode demonstrates what little regard our
society has for nonhuman life. We compartmentalize violent, antisocial
behavior according to the species of the victim.
Vick personally drowned, electrocuted with jumper cables, and body-
slammed dogs to death, when he could have paid a veterinarian to put
them down with lethal injections. After all, he paid someone to
meticulously remove the teeth - roots and all - of Georgia, one of the
dogs now at Best Friends, so she could be bred without endangering
her male partner.
Would someone who expressed that level of aggression and violence
against another person, even without a death involved, ever be
considered for immediate readmission to professional sports?
This isn't just a sentimental animal lover's assessment. Animal cruelty
is a proven gateway for violent criminals ranging from the Columbine
kids to your run-of-the-mill wife-beater.
Imagine if the bodies of those animals had turned up at random in
Philadelphia neighborhoods over the course of several months. Would
the good people of the city want the person responsible playing
quarterback for their beloved team?
As it stands, Vick is well on his way to regaining his former status,
thanks in large part to the Eagles and the Humane Society. I hope
the Humane Society's gamble pays off for the animals.
Vick certainly appeared concerned about returning to football as
soon as possible. We would like to be more convinced of his concern
for animals, if only he could humble himself by changing water,
scooping poop, or sweeping floors at a local shelter - where dogs
slated for deaths more merciful than those Vick meted out wait
hopefully for simple acts of human kindness.
Francis Battista is a cofounder of Best Friends Animal Society, which
has cared for some of the most traumatized dogs rescued from Vick's
dogfighting operation. For more information, see www.bestfriends.
http://www.philly.
