Michael Vick Wants Another Dog!

This past Tuesday night, Michael Vick sat down for an interview with Piers Morgan to discuss his upcoming autobiography, "Finally Free" and shocked dog lovers everywhere with his announcement that he would love to get another dog someday. And considering that the legal ban preventing him from buying, selling or owning a dog will be up this month, his dream could soon become a reality.  
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Lucas, one of the dogs rescued from Bad Newz Kennels. Note the obvious scars from dog fighting. AP Photo/Julie Jacobson



















According to NBC News Vick stated, "I would love to get another dog in the future. I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process. I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love and my passion for animals; I think it would be outstanding."

Hmmmm, that sounds a bit selfish to me. But wait, it is not all about him. He also feels bad that his kids are missing out on the experience of having a dog because of his actions. In another quote from the interview Vick stated, "I miss having a dog right now. I wish I could. My daughters miss having one, and that's the hardest thing: Telling them that we can't have one because of my actions."

Michael Vick should accept the fact that there are consequences to his actions and use this as a teaching moment for his daughters. They should be aware that money and fame are not tools that can be used to wipe the slate clean. He should willingly continue the ban on his own accord and not even tempt fate by getting another dog. I wish I could say that no animal shelter, breeder or person in their right mind would turn a dog over into his care. Unfortunately, there seem to be many people out there that support Vick and his intentions.

Wayne Pacelle, the controversial president of the Humane Society of the United States, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday, "I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner". We will have to wait and see if the Humane Society ends up being the organization that presents Vick with his new best friend.

The public seems to have forgiven Vick as well. In a reader poll on the popular tabloid website TMZ.com it appears that over 30,000 people think it is fair for Vick to own a dog because he has changed.

Vick getting a dog is...

• A horrible idea

  55%
• Fair, he's changed

  45%

Total Votes: 67,869 

source:TMZ.com

Thankfully, all is not lost. Two of the most prominent animal rights groups, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have spoken out against Michael Vick and his plans to own a dog.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lisa Lange, vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had this to say in response to last night's interview. "Just as convicted pedophiles aren't allowed free access to children, anyone who is responsible for hanging, electrocuting, or shooting dogs and who causes them to suffer in other unimaginable ways should never again be allowed access to dogs. All things considered, it is a very small price to pay, especially compared to the suffering endured by the dogs who were abused and killed in the Bad Newz Kennels."

The ASPCA also voiced their concern immediately following the interview. "Vick’s journey toward rehabilitation and redemption has not reflected any direct concern for the wellbeing of animals, and we’ve never heard him express a shred of empathy toward the dogs he brutalized and killed", the organization told TMZ.

The ASPCA continued, "Rather than talk about the horrors and brutalities of dog fighting, Vick has instead chosen to focus on the consequences of getting caught. Vick’s actions have been simply self-serving and not remotely expressing remorse. Because of this, the ASPCA has serious concerns about Vick’s ability to be a responsible pet guardian."

I am 100% with you ASPCA and many thanks to you and to PETA for speaking up against Michael Vick. Let's hope he does not decide to go forward with this idea and that if he does someone will step in and stop him.

To read more about what happened to the dogs removed from Bad Newz Kennel visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Vicktory Dogs page.

The Color Run - Coming to Boston July 28th and 29th!

If you have not heard of The Color Run just wait because you will. This prismatic event is coming to the Boston area the weekend of July 28-29, 2012.

The Color Run bills themselves as the Happiest 5k on the Planet. I don't know if it is because of the super upbeat song they chose to go with the video below (On Top of the World by the Imagine Dragons) or because of all the smiling faces in every single Color Run picture and video I have seen but I totally believe them! I dare you to watch this video and NOT smile. 

What is the Color Run, you ask?
The Color Run is a 3.1 mile (5k) race through the streets of Amesbury, Massachusetts about an hour north of Boston. You do not have to be a runner to participate in this race! It is an event for everyone: runners, walkers, old, young and anyone in between!

Why it is called the Color Run?
Well, obviously you did not watch the video! Volunteers line the streets of the course and as you run by they douse you with colored powder! Each kilometer is designated with a different color so by the end of the race you have been turned into a human canvas. According to the Color Run website: "The color is a special “elf made” recipe of magical color dust.  All products are 100% natural and safe.  You can eat the stuff if you’d like (we have tried it and don’t suggest it, it is surprisingly high in calories and leaves a chalky aftertaste)". 

To read a participant's review of the Color Run that just took place in Omaha, Nebraska, please click here: "The Color Run lives up to the Hype".

This year The Color Run Boston has partnered up with the local charity Homes for Our Troops. Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2004. Their mission is to assist severely injured veterans and their immediate families by providing them with a new home that allows maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently. Homes for our Troops accomplishes this by raising money, collecting building materials and recruiting professional labor to build these homes from scratch.

Well, what are you waiting for?
Sign up below and get ready to experience the most colorful day of your life!
The Color Run Boston Registration

What's Happening in Boston - July 14, 2012

For the Ladies

Alright girls, you do not want to miss the opportunity to experience a little Magic Mike action live and in person this weekend! The infamous Australian hunks of Thunder from Down Under will be in town performing thier all male revue at the Wilbur Theatre this Saturday night at 7:00pm. Get your tickets here before they sell out! Thunder from Down Under.

For Families and Groups

The Boston Mad Dash has been described as part Amazing Race,  part scavenger hunt and all fun! Groups of 8 or more people run amuck throughout the city of Boston seeking out random people, places and things on the scavenger list. Your team has 2 hours to find and take pictures with 100 photo scavenger hunt items. Your game ticket includes a five round scavenger hunt, game materials, a digital camera, prizes, and best of all you get to keep all the photos and videos that were taken throughout the day! Experience the city of Boston in a fun and interactive way! To purchase tickets and learn more, visit Boston Mad Dash.

For Adults Only

What do you get when you combine four thousand people wearing viking helmets, twenty six bars, and lots of BEER? You can find out for yourself Saturday morning at the Seventh Annual Great Boston Beer Marathon. The marathon kicks off at the House of Blues at 10:00am. Your official Beer Marathon T-shirt will get your special deals on food and drink specials at participating bars. For every ticket sold this year, the Boston Beer Marathon will donate $5 to the New England Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. What are you waiting for? Purchase your tickets here: Boston Beer Marathon.

Boston Free Fitness on the Plaza

As part of the "Boston Moves for Health" campaign, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Public Health Commission recently announced a new outdoor exercise program called Fitness on the Plaza. This program, which will run weekly throughout the summer months, features FREE yoga and bootcamp classes taught by local fitness centers and takes place right at City Hall Plaza. Drop ins are welcome and people of all fitness levels are encouraged to participate. Did I mention it's FREE?
Here is the schedule for Summer 2012

Health Yoga Life
Yoga classes on the Plaza* every Wednesday morning
7:30 - 8:30AM
June 6-July 25
*In the event of rain, class will be held at Health Yoga Life’s nearby studio at 12 Temple Street

Beantown Bootcamp

Boot camp sessions on the Plaza every Friday, rain or shine
Morning session: 6:30 - 7:30AM
July 6-August 31

South Boston Yoga and The Sports Club/LA

Yoga classes on the Plaza every Thursday morning
7:00 - 8:00AM
July 12-August 30
Yoga participants are encouraged to bring their own mat and block.

Bootcamp with Fitcorp

Boot camp class on the Plaza every Wednesday
5:30 - 6:30PM
July 11-August 29 (no class Aug.15)
Mayor Menino introduced the "Boston Moves for Health" initiative back in April of 2012 as a way to improve the health and fitness of the people who live and work in Boston. The ambitious goals of the campaign are to move 10,000,000 miles and lose 10,000,000 pounds. The website has a free wellness portal where users can set personal health goals, map walks and runs, find new workouts, get nutrition tips, track progress, and team up with friends to coordinate group activities and support each other along the way. It also includes a community calendar with events and activities and a resource directory to help users find places to get out and get active in thier neighborhood and across the city. For more information please visit the Boston Moves for Health website at Boston Moves for Health.

Rewind! This is not the first time for Modell's and Michael Vick!

After doing a little internet research I came across a Youtube video of Michael Vick signing autographs at the grand opening of a Modell's Sporting Goods in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn back in March of 2012. Apparently Philadelphia is not the first time Vick and Modell's have partnered up. You can view the Youtube video here: Michael Vick Brooklyn Modell's.

It may be worth noting that the Brooklyn Animal Care and Control facility currently has 51 Adoptable Dogs on its website as of today, 36 (70%) of which are pit bulls or pit mixes. The Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Team lists 112 Adoptable Dogs on its website, 99 (88%) of which are pit bulls or pit mixes. This could be a coincidence but I imagine that if a study was to be done there very well be might be a direct correlation between the high numbers of abandoned and owner surrendered pit bulls and the locations that approve of and attend Michael Vick events.

What are your thoughts?

Modell's Sporting Goods Experiences Backlash from association with Michael Vick

Animal activists are up in arms over the news that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and convicted dog fighter Michael Vick is launching his own line of clothing to be sold exclusively at Modell's Sporting Goods stores along the East Coast. Vick will be promoting the new line with Meet & Greet events at selected Modell's stores in Philadelphia. The picture above was posted to Modell's Facebook page around 3:00pm EST on Tuesday and has resulted in a non stop barrage of angry comments, threats to boycott their stores and requests for Modell executives to cancel Vick's appearances. Many users posted pictures of rehabiliated dogs rescued from Vick's Bad Newz Kennel as well as graphic images of injured dogs who had been removed from other dogfighting operations. One protester has created a Facebook fan page entitled "Boycott Modell's for their involvement with Michael Vick". The page currently has 79 likes. It does not appear that the mainstream news has caught wind of this story yet as a Google News search does not turn up anything more than the announcement of Vick's new clothing line.

The decline of Michael Vick's public image began in April of 2007 when his cousin Davon Boddie was arrested outside a nightclub for possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Boddie gave his home address to police as 1915 Moonlight Road, Smithfield, Virginia. This property was owned by Michael Vick at the time. Police conducted a search of the property as part of the drug investigation and stumbled upon all the makings of a dog fighting operation. They found blood splatter, pry bars and dog breeding tools, among other items. Along with animal control officers, they removed a total of 66 dogs from the property.

Disturbing details of abuse and murder of dogs at the hands of Michael Vick and his business associates Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips came out as the investigation progressed. The US Department of Agriculture documented this cruelty in a 17 page report released in 2008. The report revealed that "Vick, Peace and Phillips hung approximately three dogs who did not perform well in a "rolling session," which indicates the readiness of a dog to fight". Also according to the report, the three men hung the dogs "by placing a nylon cord over a 2 X 4 that was nailed to two trees located next to the big shed. They also drowned approximately three dogs by putting the dogs' heads in a five gallon bucket of water." After failing a polygraph test, Vick recanted his original statement saying he was not involved in the actual killing of the dogs and admitted to his participation.

The Surry County grand jury charged Michael Vick with one count of unlawfully torturing and killing dogs and one count of promoting dogfights. Both are felony charges. Vick took a plea offer from federal prosecutors, pleading guilty to federal conspiracy charges and avoiding additional dogfighting charges.  He was sentenced to 23 months in jail for his participation.

UPDATE 7/18/12 The "Boycott Modell's for their involvement with Michael Vick" Facebook page is up to 484 likes and growing. Three similar pages calling for the boycott of Modell's have also sprung up as well as a Facebook group and two petitions.

Change.org Petition To Modell's CEO Mitchell Modell: Stop Modell's from Selling Michael Vick's New Product Line
Forcechange.com Petition To Modell's CEO Mitchell Modell: Stop Modell's Sporting Goods from Selling Michael Vick 's New Clothing Line

For more on Michael Vick and Modell's click here

Introduction

Hello to all!
This is my first attempt at blogging so please bear with me! If all goes as planned, this blog will be a combination of all things Boston and beyond with an emphasis on issues of social awareness. Topics of interest will be animal rights, human rights, Boston people, places and things, local events and things to do and see. Hence the name Boston Mish Mash. Of course I am not limiting this blog to the Boston area alone. Nationwide or even global topics are fair game. Wish me luck!