Wednesday, November 19, 2008

"These dogs are not pets".....huh????

I asked my friend Leo if we could repost his letter on our blog because I think it's a wonderful letter and I think everyone should read this. If you don't know of the angel who took Leo in and helped him become the AMAZING guy he is today, she is Marthina McClay (CPDT/Dog Trainer/Behavioral Counselor/ Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator/ Tester/Observer for Therapy Dogs/Animal Behavior College Mentor Trainer) with Our Pack Inc. Our Pack Inc. is an amazing organization who has rescued, rehabilitated and trained so many wonderful dogs. Like us, they strive to place the best of the breed and bring about awareness through public education programs. We are honored to call them our friend.

That said, please read Leo's letter and feel free to post comments. Better yet, go to Our Pack's blog and post a comment to him there and let him know how much you love and appreciate all of the wonderful things he and the other Vick dogs are doing for our breed! Don't forget to read the article about the Harris County fight bust that's linked here. We will try to keep you as up to date as possible about this case and what happens with the dogs. Please everybody, lets pray for them and God willing that they will be given a second chance, just as Leo and his "brothers and sisters" that were found on Michael Vick's property.

"These dogs are not pets".....huh????

My foster mom was reading this article today about another big fight bust and this is what she read to me:

Huge dogfighting ring broken up in Harris Co., DA says
"These dogs were bred specifically to fight," Smith said. "And
they were inbred back and forth. They are not pets."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/pets/dogs/6112617.html

My name is Leo,
Photobucket

I’m sure many of you have read my story and this makes me very sad.

I think I make a very good pet. I love my mom and my sister Hailey


and my brother Dexter

and I even try to be nice to Daisy who isn’t always too thrilled to have me around but she tolerates me.

I work very hard at the Cancer Center helping the patients forget their troubles for a few minutes at a time

And I’ve even gone to school to visit some kids?


Have I done it too well? Did people forget where I came from? Didn't they learn anything from my case? I wasn’t “raised” to be a pet, but I’ve tried really hard to become a good one.

Why won’t these other dogs get the same chance? Didn't we make a difference at all?

Love.
Leo
Former Michael Vick dog, Now a loving pet. (or so I thought)

4 comments:

Mary said...

I'm Leo's "foster auntie" so I'm not biased, but thank you for sharing his letter. I hope many will read and see all that he is saying - don't judge them as a group but look at them as individuals and the love they are capable of! Thank YOU for all that You and your group does!

Mary

Mary said...

oops, that last comment should have said I AM biased, but what the heck, when it comes to Leo I just get gushy!!

New Hope Pit Bull Rescue said...

I'm so sorry it's taken so long for me to respond to your comment Mary. *blush* Work... holidays... oy!

You and me both with being biased about Leo. Heck, we only know him through you and Marthina... but he's such a huge piece of my heart. We were talking yesterday at work about the Vick case and what Leo and the rest of those dogs have done to put Pit Bulls in a positive light for a change. One thing I wish we could learn is this... What are Vick's thoughts on a dog that he essentially tortured, now being a therapy dog and helping SO many folks who need his love?

Do you think maybe inside him, Vick could possibly hold some compassion for these dogs that he once only thought of as "cash cows"?

Jenn said...

Hi I’m a Pitt bull owner and I have a wonderful dog he is a baby in my family. I get so tired of hearing how mean and awful Pitt Bulls are people have no idea what they are really like because no one will give them a chance. Because of the Pitt bull physical appearance and strength and of course its need to please these dogs have fail into the wrong hands people who will neglect them and raise them to be vicious. When your a dog owner you nee to raise your dog just like you would a child if you want a well respectable adult when you child grows up then you raise them to be that way, if you wont you’re child to be violent them you teach them at a early stage to be that way why don't people understand that its not the dogs fault, the fault needs to fall back on the owner these dogs are no different from any other dog all dogs can be vicious if they are raised to be that way or neglected in any way