Bad Rap - Photo badrap.org
The Philadelphia Eagles have the second coming of Michael Vick, as he is the top dog while quarterback Kevin Kolb recovers from a concussion. However, dogs belonging to the Philadelphia Eagles second-string quarterback have found new lives and hope after being rescued from Vick’s infamous Bad Newz Kennels. More than fifty dogs were seized from Vick’s home in Surry County, Virginia.
Michael Vick was convicted of animal cruelty charges and received a 23-month sentence. Vick was accused of hosting dog-fighting battles with the fifty pets he owned. He has since apologized and returned to the limelights of football. However, the whereabouts of his former pets was not a topic Vick discussed.
In a landmark animal welfare case, a team consisting of federal prosecutors, six animal shelters, various organizations, a court appointed animal law authority and the USDA collaborated to decide the fate of 49 of the pit bulls rescued from Vick’s home. At least one of Vick’s pit bulls had to be euthanized because of uncontrollable violent behavior. The outcome was the placement of the animals with rescue organizations around the country with Michael Vick paying for their care. BAD RAP was one of the organizations.
Usually, animal shelters along with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) vie for the euthanizing of animals, especially pit bulls, which are trained to fight. The organizations believe in animals put to sleep and “taken out of their misery”. However, organizations like BAD RAP are giving new hope to dogs once condemned to death. This is what the organization has done for the dogs in their care belonging to Michael Vick.
The dogs were placed in a shelter and visited daily for six weeks. They were taught to sit, rollover and basic obedience. According to Nicole Rattay, BAD RAP volunteer, “Some dogs were ready to learn ‘sit’ and obedience,” some the other dogs needed more time to accept touch and feel comfortable in their surrounding.”
Many of the dogs have been placed in loving homes and the effects of their past lives are almost non-existent. Hector, Jonny Justice and Uba, are just a few of the rescued and now well-adapted and adopted dogs living in loving homes.