So today the Sports Illustrated issue that has the Vick dog Jasmine FINALLY came out here in Halifax - and I got to go and get my own copy. I had already read the whole article online weeks ago on the Bad Rap blog - but I am a hoarder of magazines of all kinds of different types - so I had to have my own paper copy. By the time I die I'll probably be one of those people who has no room in their house except for little aisles everywhere with magazines lined to the ceiling because I can't bear to part with any of my magazines. Although up until now I have probably gotten rid of thousands of magazines over the years - but there are certain ones that I just cannot part with. I'm not going to tell you which ones they are though.I thought I'd take this momentous day to give links to every Vick dog link I've come across in my aimless daily surfing - and there's quite a bit of them - so get your hat on, and let's go.
I've written quite a bit on this blog about the Vick dogs - I think they have changed the world of pit bull type dogs forever - for the better, and in fact wrote a post called "Could Michael Vick be the best thing that's ever happened to pit bulls?" last July after having read a couple fabulous articles about the dogs that had been saved in some Washington Post articles. They included an amazing slide show that you've got to watch.
I had previously written about them when they had decided to save the dogs and MSNBC wrote an article about the saving of them and highlighted a couple of the dogs - that's a super article too.
MSNBC also did a fabulous slide show of families who adopted and fostered Vick dogs - you can watch it by going - here
MSNBC also did a story on one of the Vick dogs - Hector that's very nice.
Last February, the New York Times wrote a great article about Best Friends Animal Sanctuary taking in 22 of the worst case Vick Dogs - and of course they also have a slide show embedded in their article as well that you've got to watch.
And talking about Best Friends, they put out a monthly magazine of "all the good news" - and one month they focused on what they call the "Vicktory dogs" - in their March 2008 issue - you can read the whole Magazine online - it's a pdf file on their website that you can download - here
As well, they have a section of their website dedicated to the dogs at http://www.bestfriends.org/vickdogs/ that is so positive and loving - you'll feel good no matter how you feel about pit bulls.
I have the National Geographic channel, and I saw the Dogtown show - the show about the Best Friends sanctuary - focused on the Vick dogs' rehabilitation - and I make no secret about the fact that I LOVE Best Friends, and always have - so I should just put that out there at this point, I guess.
This is Bad Rap's blog post about the Sport's Illustrated issue on the Vick Dogs - it's a really great post, and it has a link to the Sport's Illustrated online issue as well where you can read the whole article.
I also found a link to the ORIGINAL 1987 article as well, which is really neat - it's at the CNN Sport's Illustrated Vault and you just have to scroll through to like page 28 or something like that. It's a really interesting read, for sure.The very well read "Pet Connection Blog" also has done a really good blog post about the Sports Illustrated article if you want to go read it - it's - here
ABC did a very positive story on the dogs as well - you can find it here
Some of the dogs that went to private rescues to be fostered ended up in Monterey California - and their story is covered in a very nice news story - here
- which includes a several minute video
And lastly - You Tube is a veritable treasure trove of Vick dogs - all you've got to do is type in "Vick" in the search thingee at the top - and you're on your way to watching tons of the dogs who've been fostered and adopted out - and the fabulous lives they're living now through Bad Rap and the other pit bull rescues - and be prepared to cry a lot - because they're all tear jerkers because they're all so beautiful and happy. I've spent quite a while on You Tube watching the videos and they're too many to give links to - they're all completely awesome and uplifting and give you hope that maybe the world will still have good dogs and good people of all shapes and sizes. Maybe.
Awww, I love Pitties, so thanks for posting this read!
ReplyDeleteMade me cry tears of joy, and sadness.
I would hope that even the die-hard Pitt haters could see that what the true temperament of this breed is towards humans. And the resilience of bouncing back to being friends and living comfortably with other dogs as a family pack. Melts my heart, this story!
Just shows you what can be accomplished if people are willing to dedicate the time, rather than take the easy way out and kill the animals as the HSUS and Peta recommended. AC in Halifax (and the Politicians)could learn a lot from this example. Make sensible laws,use some common sense when applying then and make killing an animal the very last resort. If these dogs,who were trained for fighting can be rehabbed any one with any common sense should be able to see the same thing should be done for "Brindi".Personalities, name calling should be but on the back burner and the life of a great dog should be the focus. RG
ReplyDeleteAs you know Joan I was finally so happy to get a paper copy of this issue - it made me cry I was so happy! and Again it showed the TRUE COLORS of Peta - Peta and HSUS wanted all the dogs KILLED period and Peta especially will not back down on thier stand that these dogs are dangerous!
ReplyDeleteI say Peta with their hidden agenda of eradicating family pets and their own history of killing dogs that they have acquired under the guise of wanting to help them is as sick as Vick!
Janet and the Casbah Crew
Are there breeds that are more prone to aggresive behaviour? do rotties and pitties(...sorry, muscular dogs) inheriently more proned to this behaviour? is it an actual TRAIT? does anyone know? do scientists know? or is it uneducated/ignorant owners who are attracted to this breed and encourage this behavour-- thus giving a bad rap to the breed or breed crosses. i have wolfhounds, they are docile by nature and it is a know characteristic in the breed. is this because of selective ownership by breeders? if the same owners owned one of my hounds, would it too develop the same characteristics as the bad rap dog? i genuinely appreciate any opinions on this topic. jm
ReplyDeleteHeya Joan...I picked this up two days ago...nice article...really enjoyed it...fair and well written...represented a lot of angles.
ReplyDeleteTo JM I would like to give my humble opinion if that is okay with you Joan.
To the best of my knowledge aggression is not a trait of any breed although some breeds have differing levels of "will to power" or "will to serve" so always you must do your breed research for the right family for each dog.
My personal belief is that if animals are aggressive by nature it's luck of the draw sometimes and can be bred into the pups potentially by unscrupulous breeders.
Many people do not believe that nature has anything to do with temperament.
But me...I would not want to have Jeffrey Dahmer as as father...just in case :)
One more reason to leave the breeding and selection of dogs to the reputable breeders.
You are lucky to own Wolfhounds...beautiful creatures indeed. Alas, we are all lucky for our 4 legged friends.
cheers,
ang & nelly
PS - one thing about pitbulls and amstaffs is that through selective breeding over the years they cultivated them to be friendly with humans...read the article...it talks about it...super interesting.
ReplyDeleteBully dogs are just short haired terriers that are very clowny, and unfortunately through selective breeding and abuse have been encouraged to fight when all they want to do is have fun.
cheers,
ang & nelly
ang $ nelly
ReplyDeletei like what you have to say --thank you.
yes--my wolfies are beautiful! Joan has some pics if she wants to post one ;-)