Dog Gone Blog - The Dog Blog for Real Dogs

Michael Vick - should he stay or should he go now?

I've been avoiding the Michael Vick/dog fighting/animal cruelty story but I just can't ignore it any longer.

When my husband read to me from some of the news stories (I will admit that I saw the headlines but I chose to not read them because I knew they would upset me.  Head in the sand much?  Yeah.) the accounts of what Vick and his cronies "allegedly" did to those dogs I felt ill.  Physically, horribly nauseous.  But I felt rage most of all.  A terrible anger and hate for this man who is a superstar in his chosen profession, a public figure for chrissakes, and the three other fingered in this case who perpetrated this horrible act - the gruesome death of an unknown number of dogs and the abuse of many others in the name of "sport" and gambling.

Am I gunning for a guilty verdict?  Oh, you betcha.

If he indeed knew of what was happening on his property and was an active participant I hope Vick gets the maximum sentence.  My perfect wish is that he rots in jail, but I know that won't happen.  Why?  Because they're just animals.

(She says as she chokes on her own words.)

(Well, not my own words but the words I've heard uttered more often than I would care to mention.)

(Alright, I'm done with the parenthetical asides now.)

Our legal system has never been particularly kind to our four-legged friends - but the times, they are a-changing.  The high profile of Vick draws attention to this blood-sport called dogfighting (You can read a copy of the indictment here).  This abuse of dogs is rampant, my friends.  Training dogs, through horrifying abuse, to kill each other for the amusement of the spectators is inexcusable, inhumane and inhuman.   Did Vick really believe that he could get away with this just because he was a star in the NFL?  I hope he spends his time in prison mourning the loss of his career and his soul because I believe he'll have plenty of time to do so.

(I told myself I was going to be as fair in this post as possible but I just can't.)

(I also said no more parentheses.  Sorry.)

I'm not going to go into detail about the charges filed against Michael Vick and his three co-defendants because just uttering the words "rape stand" sends my stomach into convulsions and makes the bile rise in my throat.  If you feel the same way you CAN do something.

According to the HSUS:  "Leave a message with NFL Public Relations at (212) 450-2000 and ask the NFL to suspend Michael Vick immediately. Then send a follow-up email." 

It might not work, however, it just might.

Or you could hit him where he lives, his bank account.  It might already be working.

And if you'd like to do more reading on this case, and I suggest that you do, you can start with this article on dogfighting at CNN.com.

If you're into the legal-ese of this case, try this article at AnimalBlawg.

If you'd like to know about some of the equipment used to train these dogs to kill, like the Rape Stand mentioned above, then read this article at Slate.com (it's fairly PG rated, but it kills me that a rape stand is not illegal).

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What do you think about all this?  Do you think that Vick will be suspended by the NFL?  Do you think he should be suspended, even though he has not been found guilty of any crime as of yet or do you think that the NFL should follow the American legal system philosophy of "innocent until proven guilty"?  This is an open forum, friends.  I may have my opinion but I like to listen to all sides of an argument.  Not that it will change my mind but I like a good sharing of ideas and opinions.

So, what do you think?

Like I needed another reason to dislike Mitt Romney

I mean, really, it's not bad enough that he did a complete 180 degree turn on his view of the issues from the time he ran for governor of my home state (Massachusetts) to the time when he decided - oh wow!  I'd like to be president... 

(Which was about a month into his governorship, as made clear by his reluctance to actually stay in the state he got elected in.  Why follow through with your promises to your elected state?  Why not start campaigning for that presidency immediately upon fooling the most liberal state in the country with your lies, right Mitty?)

But now there's news of animal abuse at the hand of ol' Mitt.

Oh?  You don't think this is abuse?  Then you tell me how anyone with even an ounce of compassion could strap a large Irish Setter in his crate to the ROOF OF A CAR for a TWELVE HOUR TRIP. 

Let me say that again:  A DOG.  Strapped TO THE ROOF.  Of a CAR.  For TWELVE HOURS.  In the SUMMER.

We already have a man with no brain running our country, do we really need a man with no heart stepping into the job of President?

Hey, Mitt, way to teach your boys a lesson in kindness.  "Emotion-free crisis management"?  How about complete indifference to life?

Unfortunately, the statute of limitations (15 years) is up and Romney can't be prosecuted for terrorizing his dog so badly that the poor animal completely lost control of his bowels.  And not just a little.  The poor dog was so sick the feces ran down the side of the car.   Now that's a lot of shit.

But not as much as you might find at any Romney for President rally.  Any person with half a brain could smell what he's slinging from a mile away.  Now that he's been exposed for being a fraud (with his flip-flopping on the issues) and a cruel bastard with no compassion for life, if this heartless jerk gets elected I'm moving to Canada.

At least I won't have to be strapped to the roof of a car to get there.

Aw, hell no

I am constantly on the hunt for the latest and greatest dog bed.  There are certain criteria it must meet:  Large enough, comfy enough, attractive enough, and cheap enough.

This bed would not meet any of those criteria, but I'm sure there are dog owners out there who could look past that to buy one.

I'm sorry, I just can't go on...

A Furcedes dog bed?  A Furrari dog bed?  Are you fur-eaking kidding me?

I know this product is not exactly the type of thing you'd find on this blog, but I can't help myself.  I need to have my fun too.

I think we can safely say you will never see one of these beds in my home.  My dogs would probably think it was a chew toy.  A really expensive chew toy.

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If you are so inclined, you can purchase the Furrari dog bed at In the Company of Dogs for the low, low price of $279.00.  But alas, you'll have to wait until December 18 for the Furcedes because it is out of stock.