Should Michael Vick be allowed to play football in the NFL? That is a topic of discussion these days since his release from prison after serving time for the crimes he committed when participating in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday that Vick is immediately eligible to practice with a NFL team and is allowed to participate in the last 2 exhibition games of the preseason (if any team is interested in having him).
Terrell Owens commented on the commissioners consideration to extend the suspension for Vick by 4 games saying, "... it is unfair to Michael Vick... It is almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground." In response to this quote I would like to start off by saying, I'm glad he no longer plays for my favorite team (Dallas Cowboys). Secondly, what about being unfair to all those dogs that Michael Vick abused and killed. F!!! T.O. as well!
Most of the dogs taken from the Bad Newz Kennels were euthanized but those that were lucky enough to be deemed salvageable were sent to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. A journalist for the Los Angeles times wrote an article yesterday about Michael Vick and did so from the perspective of "Georgia" (a Bad Newz Kennels rescue) and the end result might surprise you. That is if you've never looked into the loving eyes of a dog.
My mother has an idea for a book and the title, "Everything I ever need to know I learned from my dogs" explains the concept pretty well I think. Growing up I was always surrounded by dogs and at one point we had 13 dogs (we lived on 200 acres). The love a dog is capable of sharing with the humans in their life is greater than I think even humans are capable of and that is one of the lessons we should learn from the Michael Vick dogs. These dogs had horrible things done to them and they were forced into doing even more horrible things but all the while their desire to please kept them doing what they had to do.
When I think about all the terrible acts that were committed on these dogs, I can't help but picture any one of the four dogs I currently share my life with, or the countless dogs that have been a part of my life in the past. The look that my buddy Collins gives as he's laying on the floor looking up at me is so cute it could literally melt the heart of even the most hardened bastard. I couldn't imagine looking at him and deciding that I needed to beat or abuse him so that he would fight and kill another dog. The thought of what those poor dogs were subjected to is too much to handle. I would have to agree with my mom's sentiment that everything I ever needed to know in life I learned from my dogs.
The dogs in my life have taught me unconditional love, free will, loyalty, independence, a desire to please, a need to protect the ones we love, awareness, as well as so many other very subtle lessons that go unnoticed on a daily basis. I would like to say thank you to my mom, my wife and my dogs (& the cats) for teaching me what love is truly all about.
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Izzy and Collins, two of the best teachers in the world.