Michael Vick would like to own a dog again someday. Oh, really? The perverts who were arrested during NBC Dateline's "To Catch A Predator" series would love to babysit, but that's not happening. Dog ownership is a privilege, not a right. While many people who are ill-fitted to own dogs unfortunately do so in this country, certainly someone who has served prison time for torturing and killing dogs should be number one on the "banned from dog ownership for life" list.
I was stunned to read that Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, thinks that Vick would be a good dog owner. "I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner," Pacelle told the Atlanta Journal Constitution in an interview on Wednesday. What? While Vick's work with the Humane Society speaking out against the evils of dog fighting is commendable, that's a far cry from actually owning a dog again.
I could go on and on about the double standard we have for athletes who seek second chances on the field. Vick's football success with the Eagles this season has been remarkable (and yes, though it pained me as a dog lover, I picked him up in one of my fantasy football leagues). But this is an off-the-field issue that has nothing to do with his talents in the game. Vick, despite his claims to have rehabilitated and learned from his past transgressions, cannot and should not be allowed to have a dog ever again. If it hurts him to have to explain to his daughters why they can't have a dog, consider that another price he must pay for his actions.
