Ray's Redemption

Ray after passing his Canine Good Citizen Test

This is Ray, one of the 54 dogs rescued from torturous conditions while belonging to reinstated professional football player, notorious Michael Vick. Shame on you Philidelphia Eagles. Luckily he is not one of 8 dogs that notorious Vick and his Cruella Daville-like cohorts killed with their bare hands. Luckily he is not one of the dogs found buried on the property where notorious Vick housed his kennel. And luckily he was not surrendered to the Humane Society of the United States or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that both wanted to kill him.

Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of PETA and Wayne Pacelle, President of the Humane Society of the United States recommended euthanasia for all of the pit bulls that were liberated from notorious Vick, including Ray, but a judge gave them a stay and entrused them, at notorious Vick's expense, to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Best Friends chose rehabilitation over death. Trainers have only been working with these traumatized pit bulls since January, 2008 and already stories of amazing turn-arounds and adoptions are common. Cherry was a painfully shy dog who is now thriving in a foster and soon-to-be forever home. Georgia has become the poster-dog for the entire pit bull rehabilitation movement. With his trainer, he has been seen on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Larry King Live. PETA and the HSUS wanted to kill Handsome Dan too. Initially deathly afraid of people and known to sit and stare at his kennel wall for hours, Dan is now ready for adoption.

And then there's Ray, the latest of what Best Friends calls their Vick-tory dogs to pass his canine good citizen test on the first try. Click here to see a video of part of the test mixed in with a little agility. What you will see is a happy, healthy pit bull that is thriving and peacefully co-existing in an environment with other animals and with people who love and nurture him. Ray is ready for adoption, hint-hint, or you may simply choose to make a spirit-of-the-season donation to this worthy group for their efforts. I can think of worse things to spend money on.