On Vegan Athletes and Vick's Dogs

Over Thanksgiving a client of my husband's started a conversation about Michael Vick's dogs. She was appalled that they were going to Best Friends and other places to be rehabilitated and adopted out. When I asked what was so upsetting to her, she replied that "all this money" (vague, I know) "is gonna be spent on these dogs who might not be able to be rehabilitated, when it could've gone to care for animals whose chances are much better."

It was a sort of fiscal responsibility argument, I guess, but she was operating under several misconceptions, one of which was the origin of the money. It should be coming from the nearly $1 million Vick was ordered to pay in restitution for the care of the dogs (although it will probably cost more).

Here's an update on the 22 of Vick's dogs who were given to Best Friends to rehabilitate. They are now known as the Vicktory dogs (boy that was a gimme). Twenty one of dogs given to Best Friends are considered sanctuary dogs, and one was determined to be highly adoptable. The stipend awarded for their care was $388,775.

What I was most impressed with was that despite PeTA and HSUS basically dooming them to death, Best Friends always stood by the dogs as victims, with their general counsel filing a legal brief detailing assessment and rehabilitation. The judge in the case followed many points in the brief and appointed someone to represent the interest of the dogs, and that person recommended 22 be placed with Best Friends.