HSUS Says Vick Is Almost Ready to Have a Dog

So, should Michael Vick get a get dog? Vick said in an interview he thinks getting a dog would help in his rehabilitation.

Wayne Pacelle, president CEO of the Humane Society of the United States has taken Vick under the HSUS wing, traveling to communities to talk about dog fighting. Lots of emails are being shot around the Internet about Pacelle’s support of Vick’s hope of getting a dog, and how this support correlates with a reported substantial donation by Vick to the HSUS. I have no idea about the donation. In fairness to Pacelle, some of these emails misrepresent his perspective, so here’s what Pacelle says in his own words from his blog “A Humane Nation.”

Decide for yourself. Feel free to comment here…but it does seem people in my venues, are nowhere near ready to allow Vick to have a dog, may be in the minority. Many responses on other blogs concur, Vick is doing well in his rehabilitation, and has done all the court requested, therefore he’s paid his price to society. So, he should be given a chance to adopt a puppy. After all, his little girls would like a puppy. 

There’s much in Wayne’s blog which I disagree with, but most of all I am confused about how it seems street dogfighters should apparently be banned from ever having a dog (as I believe I’ve seen the HSUS advocate in several other places), but with Vick it’s ok to soon adopt a dog since the judge never suggested a lifetime ban. Would it also be ok to purchase a pure bred dog, I wonder?  

Maybe I’m just not forgiving enough, After all, Vick is unlikely to ever fight dogs again, he has made appearances in communities (though carefully orchestrated) to talk about the violence of dogfighting, and certainly he’s having a great comeback year on the field and the Eagles will see post season action – which for a star quarterback could mean many endorsements worth millions….What more could we want of Vick? He could, after all, lead his team to the Super Bowl, and therefore must be a hero. Isn’t that what a hero is?