Press Release: Michael Vick's sentence

December 11, 2007

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) Michael Vick's sentencing to 23 months in prison for his role in a dog fighting ring drew a mixed reaction from pit bull advocacy group BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), the group the ASPCA contacted after Michael Vick was busted for dog fighting.

"We're disappointed he didn't mention the dogs once in his statement," says Donna Reynolds, co-founder of BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit bulls).

Still, Reynolds is hopeful that even if Vick doesn't get it, the public will--thanks to the media spotlight on the cruelty of dog fighting and on the dogs themselves. BAD RAP teamed up with the ASPCA to temperament test the Vick dogs, and some did so well, the group recommended they go to foster homes for training and observation, and then be put up for adoption.

Good companions

Reynolds thinks seeing former fighting dogs in their new lives as loving pets may change minds about the breed as a whole.

"We hope the dogs will help people who are on the fence about the breed and see them as companion animals who were being abused, rather than killing machines," says Reynolds.

Ten dogs will be fostered by BAD RAP, and DogTime will be sharing their stories with readers once the last defendant is sentenced, on January 25.

FIGHTING FOR THE UNDERDOG

Abused by dogfighters. Targeted by legislation. Flooding shelters.
A grassroots group tries to save society's breed in need:
the pit bull.

Sophie's story...."She looked like a monster, but she had the most tender soul."
Sophie was about as unlikely to find a happy ending as any shelter dog could be. She was 11 years old. She was a pit bull, a breed that frightens away many adopters. And she was covered with the telltale scars of a fighting dog, a career that also cost her one eye and part of an ear.

Her jaw and wrists had been broken and left untreated, leaving her with a permanent hobble. She'd been bred so many times her teats sagged. Her skin was in terrible shape, and well, she wasn't exactly the kind of dog you see gracing the cover of Dog Fancy.

But Sophie had soul, and as soon as she danced up to Donna Reynolds in Oakland, California's Animal shelter, Reynolds spotted it. "Her one brown eye just sparkled," says Reynolds, who co-founded BAD RAP, a pit bull education and advocacy group based in Oakland, California. "She looked like a monster, but she had the most tender soul."

Landslide of issues

It's a quality Reynolds sees again and again in the pit bulls she's rescued, even those coming from situations as grim as Sophie's. That "soul" inspired her and her husband Tim Racer to launch BAD RAP, or Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls, in 1999. "We thought we'd put up a website and adopt out a few dogs," says Reynolds, who lives in Oakland. "We had no idea."

What started out as a part-time adoption effort mushroomed immediately into a full time education and pit bull advocacy campaign. "We found ourselves tackling an avalanche of issues," says Reynolds, who quickly got invited to speak at conferences and workshops organized by the Humane Society, ASPCA, and several other well-respected animal welfare organizations.

In no time, BAD RAP quickly became the go-to group for high-profile issues involving pit bulls. BAD RAP coordinated the rescue of unclaimed Katrina pit bulls. It was also the group the ASPCA contacted after Michael Vick was busted for dog fighting.

Vick was sentenced to 23 months in jail on December 10. In his apology he failed to mention the suffering of the dogs even once. "We wish he'd gotten the maximum, which is five years," says Reynolds. "But it has been a landmark case in helping people see how cruel this sport is."

Quality of resilience

Reynolds is now hoping people will pay attention to what happens to Vick's dogs. After giving a rigorous temperament test to each of the 48 dogs, who were raised in bleak conditions to fight and kill other dogs, BAD RAP found only one aggressive enough to be euthanized.

"I don't know why some pit bulls do fine in situations like this," she says, "but it's that quality of resilience that keeps me working for this breed."

The dogs have been divided between BAD RAP and other rescue groups, foster families, and sanctuaries. Some will eventually be available for adoption. "When people get to meet the dogs, a whole new story is going to unfold," she says. She wants the world to see that even pit bulls raised for fighting can make good companion dogs.

Shelter dogs

Meanwhile, Reynolds and her group continue to work to give pit bulls the chance they deserve. And pit bulls need the help. Breed specific legislation regulating ownership of pit bulls, among other breeds, has been passed in several cities and municipalities, including Boston, Denver, and Toledo. Pits and pit mixes now make up anywhere from 30
to 70 percent of dogs in shelters nationwide.

Still Reynolds sees lots of reasons to be optimistic. She says the group's collaboration with the ASPCA and her growing list of invitations to speak across the country leads her to believe things are starting to turn around. "Many people are deciding to stop being paralyzed by the problems and get to work," she says.

Sophie's story

The happy stories she encounters along the way keep her going. Sophie, for instance, finally found a home. She now spends her days hanging out with her adoptive mom at work and channeling her maternal instincts into tenderly caring for a collection of stuffed toys.

Although the adopter's family was horrified when they heard their daughter had brought home a battle-scarred pit bull, Sophie won them all over at Thanksgiving. Another dog saved, and more minds opened. BAD RAP sees no reason to stop.

ADOPTING A PIT BULL

Who makes a good pit bull owner?
Pit bulls have the same needs as any other breed--quality time with their person, exercise (and lots of it, for younger pits), training, and socialization. But they have their own unique considerations too. Here's what to consider before you bring home a pit.

• Keep your dog warm. "Pit bulls hate the cold," says Reynolds. "Plan to buy lots of cute sweaters."
• You'll get some flak. No matter how sweet your pup is, this is a breed that can make people cross the street, give you strange looks, or make less-than-friendly comments.
• You may face discrimination. A landlord may turn you down for an apartment because of your pit bull; an insurance company may refuse to sell you a home owner's or renter's insurance policy. "People are shocked by how much public criticism and discrimination they get," says Reynolds. "This is the number one thing we try to prepare people for before they adopt."
• Your dog will be an example. With all the negative press they get, a badly-behaved pit bull does the whole breed no good. Training is critical; a Canine Good Citizen certificate can help win over skeptical landlords, neighbors, and friends.
• Know your dog's tolerance level. Some pits are dog-friendly, some are tolerant but will get into a fight if challenged, and some just don't play well with others. To keep everyone safe, you'll need to know your dog's attitude toward other canines, and and do everything you can to prevent a fight. BAD RAP has more on dog aggression in pit bulls.

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Contact:

Clare Ellis
clare@dogtime.com

Trevor Wright
trevor@dogtime.com