Feb 07 2011
The Latest from HSUS Ambassador Michael Vick
Update: For those of you inclined to lean in the "He's paid his dues" direction, we're reminded of this blog article (well worth reading) from last week.
Update 2: It's good to see that Richard Hunter's video is generating discussion from sports columnists and in the mainstream press.
If this is the first you’ve heard that convicted dog fighting kingpin Michael Vick is a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States, you should visit the following links and get up to speed. [ one | two | three | four | five | six | seven ]
Go ahead. We’ll wait right here until you get back.
Now that you’re up to speed, you’ll fully appreciate this video, shot on Saturday by broadcasting personality Richard Hunter.
Hunter, a long-time Dallas radio icon, adopted one of the dogs that Michael Vick savagely abused.
Let’s talk about this.
First of all, what possessed the Mayor Pro Tem of Dallas—on a weekend when his city had the world’s media focused on it—to honor a convicted felon like this? We’re not going to dive too deeply into this, but the question is out there. "In the eyes of many people, [Vick]'s a hero," he said.
But more to our point, how much longer does Michael Vick think he can keep up the masquerade of being a reformed animal lover? And how long is the Humane Society of the United States going to continue its own charade?
From our perspective, the whole Michael Vick–Wayne Pacelle “marriage” always seemed to be one of convenience. Pacelle needed Vick as a campaign prop, and he wanted the Philadelphia Eagles’ $50,000. Vick needed a pretext for his return to the NFL, and a useful idiot to promote him.
Once Vick’s Eagles flamed out in the NFL playoffs (losing to the eventual Super Bowl champs), we stopped seeing him in front of the HSUS logo. Pacelle went as far as saying publicly that Vick “would do a good job as a pet owner.” But the public (correctly) judged that this was one shill-job too far. Reaction on HSUS's own Facebook page was vicious and memorable.
Will the future see Michael Vick continuing to front for HSUS, and HSUS for Vick? (Will we see another NFL season in the fall, for that matter?) These are questions for another day, but they will both depend on money. Because like in professional football, dollars make the HSUS go ‘round.
As for Michael Vick, the Richard Hunter video tells a gripping and disappointing story. This was the perfect opportunity for Vick to demonstrate his claims of remorse, it could have been the ideal impromptu photo op, tears and all. But instead of contrition, all he showed was the same cold heart that dog lovers have come to expect from the sadistic animal abuser.
It’s too bad the leadership of the Humane Society of the United States didn’t recognize it as quickly as the rest of us.
Maybe, just like the NFL, they're stil too blinded by dollar signs to care.
Posted on 02/07/2011 at 03:39 PM by the HumaneWatch Team
Audio & Video • Animal Fighting • Courtroom Drama • (15) CommentsComments
Thank you for posting this much needed commentary. I really hope to see this video go viral.
It’s ’s too bad the leadership of the Humane Society of the United States didn’t recognize it as quickly as the rest of us.
I’m sure that they did. Unfortunately, 50K speaks stronger to them than Micheal Vick’s actions.
Dallas has one of the worst animal shelters in TX. Last year, they allowed a cat to die in its walls and only went in after it was dead and stinking. Its pitiful moans of starvation they could stand, but the smell of death not so much.
They employ animal abusers so why not award one the city key?
I am not surprised. Dallas shelter takes 35,000 animals in annually and adopts 2000 out to the public on a 1.3 million dollar budget. Guess what happens to the rest? Tells you how much the mayor cares about animals.
Well. I’m thoroughly disgusted, but not surprised. HSUSellouts.
Is this the best you can do? Professional media filming with shakey cell phone camera and thinking anyone is going to stop and talk to you because you have a picture.
Why dont you just get someone to chop and cut some film and show him eating a dog. The man did his time as the jury saw fit.
get the f**k outa my face????? thugs… everyone of them.. why does vick need bodyguards anyway.. sure were a lot of them..all handsomely paid for i am sure.. by whom???
If the Council, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING DWAINE C., cared they would have listened to the dangers of changing the laws about pets and pet ownership in Dallas in 2008. What they SAID they wanted to accomplish could merely have been DONE with the UNENFORCED LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS….laws that had been there since ‘91? and none of them had ever read them, Caraway is the only one I know for sure DID; it didn’t matter to him tho, he let Skip Trimble, THLN/HSUS, and the ASC get what they wanted….bad laws in an attempt to criminalize animal ownership and more dead animals.
No doubt his wife, state Rep, will vote to do more of the same with a bad SUPPOSED “puppy mill bill” in the legislature.
@Tim:
HumaneWatch would have to employ the hacks of H$U$ that edit to get 42 second clips out of months of undercover tapes to get that kind of deceptive slant!
Vick is SHAMELESS… he’s the same (2011) as he was (2006). If he was a changed man and saw the light, he would definitely talk to the public and repent. That’s what people who realize their mistakes/crimes do. And the Mayor of Dallas, an ass-kisser extrodinaire! Birds of a feather…. it’s so sad.
@David- thank you, I realized my error after I pressed the “post” button. My bad 
http://www.myfoxphilly.com
This weekend, a top Dallas official gave the Philadelphia Eagles’ Michael Vick the key to his city. On Monday, the city’s mayor demanded the key back from Vick., More from myfoxphilly.com
I have a couple things to say about this. First of all, I’d like to know why Dallas is giving Vick a key to the city. If Philadelphia did, as a response to his performance on the field for their team, I could understand. What does Dallas owe him?
Second, I’m going to half-agree with Tim. In that situation, I don’t think walking away means very much. Saying you have one of his dogs doesn’t mean you actually have one. I think it’s reasonable for Vick to expect some people to pull that on him as bait. Alternatively, if he is truly remorseful (which I can’t speak to), he may be so remorseful that he truly doesn’t want to talk about it. Although we expect famous people to be at our beck and call, they are under no real obligation to indulge us. I can excuse the “shaky cell phone camera” footage, since the person shooting it is a radio guy.
I also half-agree with Tim regarding “he’s done his time.” I think it was silly to question whether he should be allowed to play football, when he got out of jail. Of course, he should be allowed to return to his former job, if someone is willing to hire him. However, there is no reason to assume his character has improved. He may be smart enough to not mess with dogs, now, but that doesn’t change that he couldn’t determine, on his own, that what he was doing was wrong. The fact that I would pay him to do a job he’s good at doesn’t mean I want to be friends with him.
Word is in more recent newstories that was the Mayor Pro Tem who gave the key to Vick. The regular Mayor took the key back.
Honestly, I don’t have a huge problem with him returning to work either, convicts deserve a second chance if they are worthy of it. That’s one of the purposes behind jail time I always thought was to sit there and think about how you can improve youself then get out of there and do so.
What I have the most problem with is HSUS parading him around Philly like he is a demi-god and saying he’d make a good pet owner to the tune of 50 thousand dollars to remake his image.
The Eagle owners should have put that money into a rescue/s that saves pitbulls. Then HSUS should have written a blog peice on the great work the money would be supporting while making sure that Michael Vick did some time in the trenches cleaning out a few kennels at a local shelter for his community service time ... then maybe *maybe* I’d buy it that everyone involved really gives a crap about the animals.
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I just don’t understand, the key to the city?! Why don’t we just make a child molester head of a daycare!!! People have to wake up, honestly. This is SO stupid and irresponsible. It sends a really good message to the kids of America: commit a crime, any crime and you will be rewarded. I don’t know about anyone else, but I raised my children different; respect life, all life!!!!