Michael Vick Dogs - Where Are They Now?

Rehabilitation is Working for the Former Fighting Dogs - Hope is Alive for Michel Vick

Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in a federal prison for his involvement in illegal dog fighting activities. He is scheduled to be released in July of this year, perhaps sooner, and is expected to be welcomed back to the NFL. One can hope that he and others involved in this gruesome dog fighting activity have learned a lesson.

But what about the dogs? Part of the punishment meted out to Michael Vick required Vick to forfeit about a million dollars to pay for the rehabilitation of the more than 45 fighting dogs that were confiscated from his Surry, Virginia dog fighting headquarters. The story about these former fighting dogs is poignant, interesting and demonstrates that with proper training dogs such as these pit bulls, if given a chance, can actually be rehabilitated and lay claim once again to being man's best friend.

The dogs were sent to rehabilitation sites throughout the United States, with 22 dogs going to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah. Here the dogs receive the love and care they should have received from birth. National Geographic has detailed the progress of these mistreated, sometimes sickly and frequently malnourished fighting dogs in their television series "DogTown". Their progress has been well documented and it appears that the vast majority are on their way to a successful rehabilitation. Some will be fully rehabilitated and placed in adoptive homes, others may spend the rest of their lives in the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

All dog lovers can take heart in the fact that this is a success story. One would be hard pressed not to experience a moment of thankfulness that there are people willing to provide their knowledge, expertise and love of animals to undertake the rehabilitation of these former fighting dogs.

Michael Vick will likely continue to fight in the NFL arena. Perhaps the majority of these dogs will find loving owners. One can hope for the best outcome for all involved in this tragic occurrence and maybe, just maybe, dogfighting will be condemned and laws aggressively enforced throughout the country to extinguish this sadistic activity.