DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Animal Rescue League Moves Gala Out Of Heinz Field Due To Vick Signing August 27, 2015 5:37 PM

Animal Rescue League Moves Gala Out Of Heinz Field Due To Vick Signing

August 27, 2015 5:37 PM

Link

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — When the Steelers signed quarterback Michael Vick earlier this week, they stirred controversy across the city and divided the fan base.

The impact is still being talked about and felt around town.

The day Vick arrived in Pittsburgh, the Animal Rescue League put out this tweet:

Now, shelter officials say they have decided to move their 16th annual Paw Prints Gala from Heinz Field because of the signing.

In a press release they say: “Given Heinz Field’s status as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, however, we do not find it to be a proper setting for this year’s Paw Prints.”

Additionally, the Animal Rescue League says they will no longer include any Steelers-related merchandise or memorabilia in the event’s auction or at any other fundraisers.

“The Animal Rescue League is extremely disheartened by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to sign Michael Vick to a one year contract. While we understand that Mr. Vick has made an effort to atone for his past mistakes and has worked to help strengthen animal abuse laws, we do not believe that it is appropriate for him to continue a high-profile and influential public career,” the press release went on to say.

"Michael Vick to the Steelers is a football player and he may help the team. We are an animal welfare organization and we have to do what’s in the best interest of creating awareness to the community about animal welfare,” said Ann Yeager, of the Animal Rescue League.

But Steelers President Art Rooney says Vick deserves another chance to show the world he’s learned his lesson.

“I think one of the things that impressed me in terms of what he said, one of the proudest of since he got back in the league was his effort to work with the Humane Society on getting laws changed on making dog fighting a felony,” said Rooney.

But the Animal Rescue League says that’s not enough.

“Studies show that people who abuse animals, children, there are sometimes some psychological problems there, and nothing against Mr. Vick as an individual, as a person, but as an animal welfare organization we have to stand behind our animals 100 percent,” said Yeager.

The gala, which the shelter says is one of their largest fundraisers, has been moved to CONSOL Energy Center. It will be held on Oct. 31.

Shelter officials also say they hope the Vick signing will help raise awareness about the cruelty of dog fighting.

“Our hope is that the very public discourse taking place across Steeler Nation this week raises awareness of the brutality and inhumanity of dog fighting. With increased community knowledge of the issue, we can all play a role in helping to end dog fighting once and for all.”

This is the problem with America.

The guy got charged, convicted, went to jail.

He did his time, yet he's in a sense STILL paying for what he did?

Let it go people. Jeez.

Know what? I didn't like Vick before all the dog stuff. I hated him after learning about it all. He got arrested, he was tried, he was found guilty. He served his court mandated sentence.

He can't bring back the dogs. But, he served his sentence. He's done with that. Now, if he goes back to it (dog fighting) send him away again, but he served the sentence the court made him.

Let the guy go about his business. He just so happens to be a high profile qb. That's what he does. Ex-cons need to make a living, and any ex-con that has served their term, attempted to atone for their wrongs, and is living a clean, legal life? Let them alone.

JMO.

I see you are of the same opinion as I am. That makes you right.

I respect that fact that, even though he screwed up, he did his time, and he seems to have done everything he can to atone for his mistakes. He has even become an advocate for his former victims.

Everybody makes mistakes. His were just larger, and more public than most of ours.

I think the animal rescue league is using this as a cheap way to get publicity.
They admit Vick has paid for his sins and has worked for animal rights, but still they kick up a fuss.

I never liked the guy but enough is enough.

I find it funny that the people of Pittsburgh would be so quick to judge and boycott a man who actually did pay for his crime. I guess you have to be draftedby the Steelers to act like a turd at some point or another. Harrison smacked his wife around. Bell was caught with weed and a hooker. Ben had his way with the ladies. And, Plaxico shot his thigh out.

It is yet another reason why I can't stand the vast majority of Steeler fans. Hell, some of them are my family and friends who are acting like this.....

At least one person in Pittsburgh has some sense.....

Dear Yinzers? Lmao

and exactly this.


That's all I would have written here. Don't hurt puppies...people are okay though.

Michael Vick's unpaid dues: Why dog advocates aren't moving on

Link

When football player Michael Vick made his first post-prison appearance in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform, he got a standing ovation from the hometown crowd. His recent reception in the Bay Area was far cooler -- at last month's game between the Eagles and the Oakland Raiders, he was greeted with protestors, picket signs and a plane flying over the stadium with a banner reading "Dogfighter Go Home!"

But even in the dog-loving Bay Area, Vick had plenty of defenders. "Sooner or later you're going to have to forgive the guy anyway," Charles Wright, a 44-year-old Oakland tow truck driver, told protestors after the game. "You may as well get it out of your system."

Another fan yelled, "Come on, the dude paid his debt to society."

In other words, "move on." But however many times dog lovers hear such advice, they're not getting any closer to taking it. That's because not only has Vick not served one minute in prison for animal cruelty, he was far more cruel to his dogs than most of his defenders seem to realize.

Most people are aware that Michael Vick was "convicted of dog fighting." They know he went to prison, and they've also probably seen the news stories, including a moving Sports Illustrated cover story, about the Vick dogs that were rescued and rehabilitated after being seized from his Bad Newz Kennels.

But that's only part of the story.

"What Michael Vick did was not just dog fighting," said Marthina McClay of Our Pack, a pit bull rescue group in Santa Clara, and the owner of one of the Vick dogs, Leo. "It went so far beyond that, and most people who defend him are uninformed.They don't really realize what Michael Vick did."

If you're one of the people McClay is talking about, let me invite you into Donna Reynolds' nightmare.

Reynolds is the co-founder of Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls (BAD RAP), an East Bay organization with a national reputation for rescuing and rehabilitating pit bulls. They rehabbed and cared for many of the dogs seized from Vick's Bad Newz Kennels after his arrest in April of 2007.

She's definitely not what you'd call a fragile flower, and she's been working with ex-fighting pits for longer than a lot of the people reading this have been out of kindergarten. It's fair to say she's seen the worst things that people can do to dogs, but there's still a story she can't get out of her mind.

It was a sweltering day in September of 2007, and Reynolds was in Virginia to evaluate the 49 pit bulls found alive on Vicks' property. A federal agent who had been at the scene when the property was searched was driving her to the various facilities holding the dogs, and they got to talking about what the investigation had turned up.

"The details that got to me then and stay with me today involve the swimming pool that was used to kill some of the dogs," Reynolds wrote on her blog. "Jumper cables were clipped onto the ears of underperforming dogs, then, just like with a car, the cables were connected to the terminals of car batteries before lifting and tossing the shamed dogs into the water."

She continued, "We don't know how many suffered this premeditated murder, but the damage to the pool walls tells a story. It seems that while they were scrambling to escape, they scratched and clawed at the pool liner and bit at the dented aluminum sides like a hungry dog on a tin can.

"I wear some pretty thick skin during our work with dogs, but I can't shake my minds-eye image of a little black dog splashing frantically in bloody water ... screaming in pain and terror ... brown eyes saucer wide and tiny black white-toed feet clawing at anything, desperate to get a hold. This death did not come quickly. The rescuer in me keeps trying to think of a way to go back in time and somehow stop this torture and pull the little dog to safety. I think I'll be looking for ways to pull that dog out for the rest of my life."

Vick did all that and more to his dogs, and even threw family pets into the pit with fighters and laughed while they were mauled, according to a witness who testified to federal investigators.

That's what sends dog lovers out to football games with protest signs: knowing that Michael Vick tortured and killed innocent dogs. That he has never paid for that abuse or even apologized for it.

Because the nation's most notorious dogfighter pled "not guilty" to animal cruelty charges -- charges that were eventually dropped in a plea bargain -- and he was convicted only of bankrolling a dogfighting conspiracy, for which he served 18 months in prison before being welcomed back to the public spotlight.

Even worse, he's shown no sign of understanding of, or regret over, the fate of his dogs.

"Vick has never expressed one word of remorse for what he did to those dogs," said McClay. "Not in any of his public statements, and not in his appearance on '60 Minutes.' Vick said he 'let it happen.' He slammed and beat and hung dogs to death. It's like Ted Bundy saying, 'I let someone murder this girl.' He doesn't take any responsibility for it."

Reynolds doesn't think it's an accident that most of Vick's supporters are so in the dark about his crimes against dogs.

"It worked out nicely for Vick that he never faced his animal abuse charges in court," she told me. "That meant football fans were spared the most disturbing details of his tortures and could go back to their Sunday night ritual with barely a hiccup."

Those who weren't spared those disturbing details, like Reynolds and McClay, aren't finding it easy, or even possible, to move on.

"I look at Leo's big, fat head and wonderful, loving heart," McClay said, "and wonder, how can you kill something like that? And now that's okay because Vick did his time, and we should just move on? How do you move on from that?"

Well, you might say, that's our criminal justice system, and that's professional sports. And you'd be right, as far as it goes.

But before it goes too far -- before you, too, become one of the people saying Vick's done his time and deserves to get on with his life -- consider something other than the heartwarming stories about ex-Vick dogs making visits to cancer wards and schools for troubled kids.

Think about the ones who were buried in the dirt of Bad Newz Kennels, who aren't getting much attention outside the dog world.

The horrific fate of those dogs is why Reynolds is actually glad about the continued debate between Vick's defenders and pit bull advocates -- it makes it harder for what he did to be buried along with the dogs he killed.

"Much of the public still sees pit bulls as willing gladiators rather than the victims that they are," she told me. "We have a long way to go before open debate on the topic of animal abuse is welcome in most living rooms, so the outrage about Vick's tortures is rightfully keeping the subject alive."

I suppose that's the silver lining. I just wish I could get the image of those frightened, drowning dogs out of my head. And I wish I believed they were haunting Michael Vick, too.




This small dog was found after the raid on Vick's dogfighting operation in Virginia. He was taken in by the Georgia Humane Society and eventually adopted by new owners.

I get that it was terrible, but worse things happen to humans on a daily basis and no one gives a crap. I'm with Swish - he did his time, let it go.

Can't believe I'm defending a stooler.

Mike Tomlin shrugs off backlash to Michael Vick’s dog-killing past

Link

There are certain things that certain segments of a fanbase are unwilling to forgive.

But the entire fanbase better know that football concerns will practically always win.

The backlash after the Steelers signed Michael Vick was predictable, as a number of fans aren’t willing to let go of a little thing like drowning dogs with your bare hands if they weren’t proficient enough at fighting another animal to its death.

People are funny that way, but hey, the Steelers needed a backup quarterback.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin indicated he wasn’t terribly concerned about Vick’s past (and he certainly isn’t concerned about negative feedback).

“You are sensitive to those potential things, but we are going to do our due diligence,” Tomlin said, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Rest assured that we have done that. Also, rest assured that he has done a lot since some of the things that he has gone through. His track record to this point speaks for itself.”

Yeah, those “things that he has gone through” are tough. Picking a dog up over your head and slamming it to the ground repeatedly until it takes its last breath can really take a lot out of a man.

And there are a number of Steelers fans who share his pain, or at least the pain of the dogs he hanged to death if they were unwilling to sink their teeth homicidally into another dog for the enjoyment of gamblers.

A Facebook group called “Pittsburghers Against Michael Vick” generated more than 5,500 likes within hours, and the Twitter responses to the Steelers news were likewise largely negative.

The Western Pennsylvania Humane Society must have season tickets, because their response was rather muted.

“We will continue to advocate on behalf of animals and work closely with community partners, like the Steelers, to make our region better for all animals and people,” they said in a statement.

But their partner thinks they’ve made their depth chart better, so that’s the important thing here.

There is more backlash against this guy than players who hurt, or even killed, HUMAN BEINGS. Again, what he did was horrific, but let it go. He paid his dues and seems to have turned his life around.

Name them.

No and No

I'm not letting it go. He is slime. If the Browns signed him, I would root for a different team.

Yall wanna Understand one of the many reasons why our recidivism rate is so high in this country?

Look no further than Eve and Vambo.

Vick did his time, served his prison sentence, paid back the money, all the stuff.

Yet these two can't let it go.

Now imagine that same thing, except with ordinary people like you and me. People serve heir time, get out, yet are STILL getting punished by society because now they can't get a job.

They have to eat, so guess what those people do? Go right back to the same thing that landed them in prison.

I didn't post on the boards because I wasn't the old ones, but I looked at both.

Vambo and Eve weren't nearly as pissed when Donte stall worth killed a guy drunk. Remember that?

What Vick did was horrible.

But he served his time, let it go.

You say he did his time. I say the punishment didn't meet the severity of the crime. A money greased judge gave him a sweetheart deal.

You say humans do worse to humans and that is true. I say that they should get what's coming to them too.

Just because a very pathetic judicial system gives those with the money an easy ride doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean that we should view those criminals who get off off lightly for horrific crimes as free and clear. Society has the ability to let its voice be heard and to exact a far stiffer punishment by non acceptance.

It is my firm opinion that Vick should have been electrocuted for his horrendous crimes. THe law doesn't support that punishment. Yet less than that 2 years for the mass torture of animals with the intelligence of a 3-5 year old child is nothing close to justice.

Vick deserves everything that upset people throw at him and more. It saddens me that some of you even contemplate the sick idea that he has somehow paid his dues for his heinous crimes. WTH is wrong with some of you. Fight the injustice, don't support it!

Donte Stallworth
Adrian Peterson
Ray Rice
Jim Brown

I'd say Ray Lewis, but he wasn't convicted.

I could certainly google more. This to me us like the dentist that killed the lion. It's a lion. There are atrocities against humans that in my opinion are a lot more heinous than this that we don't care about.

He did his time, let him be.

Vick transfers to Kansas prison to enter drug treatment
Sentence could be reduced after completing program

By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/07/08

Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who was sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison for his conviction on dog fighting and related charges, was transferred to Leavenworth, Kansas with hopes of entering a drug treatment program, his attorney Billy Martin, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday. Vick's attorneys, Martin and Lawrence Woodward, hope that Vick may be eligible to have his sentence reduced after completing the program. The attorneys issued the following statement Monday afternoon: "Mr. Vick has been transferred from the Northern Neck Regional jail in Virginia to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons minimum security facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. "Mr. Vick hopes to participate in progams offered at that facility, including the Bureau of Prisons drug treatment program. "Mr. Vick looks forward to being reunited with his family upon completion of his sentence. He is hopeful that following his release he will have the opportunity to resume his career as a professional football player."

On Monday, the suspended Falcons quarterback was at the federal prison camp in Leavenworth, Traci Billingsley, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, told the Associated Press. Vick was moved from Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Va., where he has been since reporting to prison prior to being sentenced on Dec. 10.
Yahoo! Sports first reported that Vick planned to enter a prison-monitored drug treatment program in Leavenworth and that a successful completion of the program may reduce his 23-month sentence. Bureau of Prison officials would not verify Monday if Vick will enter such a drug program.

For now, Vick, whose prison number is 33765-183, has a projected released date in July 2009, which would be the full 23-month sentence.


Vick, who failed a drug test while awaiting sentencing in his dog fighting case, may be eligible for the federal drug treatment program 5330.10. Under the program, the inmates are involved in an intense treatment program that lasts from six to 12 months, with a minimum of 500 hours of treatment.

The U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas is a medium security facility for male inmates. There is an adjacent satellite minimum-security prison camp for male inmates. "They (drug treatment programs) are spread throughout the country and Leavenworth does have one," Truman said. "They have a satellite complex and I think the (drug program) is in both places."

Upon successful completion of the program, the inmate's eligibility for early released based on previous criminal convictions is determined. Vick did not have any previous convictions before his dogfighting case.
If the inmate is deemed eligible for early release he must sign a treatment agreement.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/01/07/vick_0108.html/

Conveniently fails drug test just before sentencing?

How may of thos are playig today?

Adrian Peterson what he did was terrible even with his skills I would not want him as a Brown. But even what he did was no where near as horrific as what Vick did.


Donte Stallworth ended up killing a person accidentally he did not go out as seek to kill the man nor did he take pleasure in doing so. He was kicked off the Browns. Still not as bad as Vick.

Jim Brown what was he CONVICTED of doing?

Ray Rice scum would not want him on the Browns. Why on earth his wife lets him do it is beyond me.

Doesn't make what Vick did forgivable.

I'm thinking the last think that Vick ever wants to do is play in front of the Dawg Pound

Seriously, I've got no love for Vick or what he did. But he went to jail, paid a price.

While I wouldn't want him here, I believe he should be allowed to make a living...

Animal Rescue in Pittsburgh missed a GOLDEN opportunity to advance their cause.

My feelings as well.

If that's the way the Animal group wants to do business, by boycotting any organization that employs people they don't approve of, they would probably be very surprised if they did background checks on all the places they deal with.

I agree with Lamp on this one, it has nothing to do with Vick, it is just an opportunity for free publicity.

Vick is a convicted felon out on Parole, right?

Thank you for highlighting the key to the article... people can accept that he has paid for his crime in accordance with the legal system, but they can't accept that he gets to go back to being rich and famous... I guess most would be ok if he was sweeping floors at the Holiday Inn for $8/hour, essentially continuing to pay for his crime..... it's like it's his fault that his job, that he is pretty good at, is one with a high salary and high profile.

Dogs might just be my favorite critter in the world. Yes, he served his time. Yes, he has seemed to repent his actions. No, that does not mean I have to forgive him for his actions. Would you want to live next to a pedophile after they served their time?

Now how can we compare pedophile to Dog Fighter/ Dog Killer?

if he beat his son(I'm all for disciplining your child) then what he did was far worse than what Vick did... I love animals and would never harm one.. I don't even approve of hunting for sport.. For food is fine, sport is not!! But people need to stop valuing animals above Human!!

I don't value animal life over human, that said I think what both did was terribly wrong but I don't think AP took pleasure in doing what he did and Vick set up a place and brought in 100's of dogs tortured and kill them for money and excitement.

Would you let either of these guys marry your daughter/sister?

Pedophiles seek out the weakest and most vulnerable to abuse. Animal abusers seek out the weakest and most vulnerable to abuse. Same psyche, different victims. Neither of these types of people have any concern for their victims.

Personally, I think pedophiles should be tracked by engraving government issued numbers on their tombstones. As vick used his fame and fortune to seek out his perversions, I think that fame and fortune should be removed from him.

To all the "he's paid for his punishment" comments, yes it's true. He served his time, paid whatever in fines, etc and etc... there's absolutely nothing the man can do to get himself back in the good graces of certain/many people after committing such an act.

For some, forgiving him is just not feasible. And you know what? I don't blame those people in the slightest either! Being a big animal person, I've not *fully* forgave him and if that hasn't occurred yet, likely to not ever to.

Not saying it's right or wrong either...

let him earn a living doing something else like cleaning toilets. There is no reason scum like this should even be allowed to be a part of the NFL.

Sounds like you should boycott the NFL maybe.

You are somewhat right, but before blaming people like Eve and Vambo for opinion, toss the blame to the d-bag who committed the crime along with lawyers and politicians.

I think being the first speaks for itself so lets look at the lawyers. As someone close to the employment background field, I can tell you employers are being put in a bind more and more when it comes to hiring.

Don't do a background check, hire someone who's a convicted felon and have him screw up again at work, guess what? You get sued by one of the lawyers in the long long line waiting for those companies that don't do background checks.

DO a background check but ask the criminal background check question on an application? Guess what? Against the FCRA. You get sued for that and government heat. It's called "ban the box".

Report something more than 7 years ago, you get sued.

Look at Uber. California is going all over these guys for using former felons. They have cited example after example of Uber drivers who are felons who are trying to earn a living after serving their time. Uber did the background checks on these guys! Yet, these idiot politicians are complaining about these guys getting passed the BI check. Guess what? Some of these guys did their crime more than 7 years ago. The STATES, LIKE CALIFORNIA, ARE ARGUING AGAINST THEMSELVES AND THE LAWS IN PLACE. They say you can't report these crimes over 7 years old, yet they are suing for not looking beyond 7. WTF?

Honestly, it is probably just a ploy to serve the Taxi unions, but the hypocrisy that is there just leaves one shaking their head.

Its all a joke. I could rant for days on former convicts, jobs and BI checks.

Why? What's so special about the NFL?

Child molesters served their time, but I'm pretty good with still hating their existence

Just because the government sanctions something doesn't make it an automatic good thing or OK.

Exactly as posted in the Gay Marriage thread.

I'm not sure, I was under the impression that he did his time, was on Parole for a while but is now off the hook.