Friday, July 24, 2009

HSUS + Vick, Up in a Tree

To be honest, I thought HSUS would back out of this stunt before it got off the ground. Apparently not:
"He's going to be contributing to our anti-dogfighting campaign next week." Pacelle said of Vick, who vowed to spread the Humane Society's anti-dogfighting message with inner city teens. Pacelle refused to elaborate on further details.

Refused to elaborate. Gee, what a promising start. I'm all like, filled with hope n' stuff now.

Although HSUS tried to set it up from the outset as a "no way WE can lose" situation, not everything is about HSUS. To me, this is about a pile of dead dogs. Dead dogs whose blood is on the hands of HSUS and Michael Vick and others who are directly responsible for killing dogs abused in fight rings. Vick tortured and killed dogs, HSUS has historically done it "cleanly" by going to court and "advising" shelters to kill bust dogs, even puppies still nursing from their dams.

Now that both Vick and HSUS have been busted for their dog killing (Vick by the justice system, HSUS by the court of public opinion), they want to say they've changed. And they're teaming up to stop dogfighting. Sorry but - cover your ears children - no fucking sale.

My parents taught me that the first step in righting a wrong is to make a sincere apology. Not a "sorry I got caught" apology but an unscripted "I'm sorry for what I did because it was wrong". I haven't heard anything of the sort from either Vick or HSUS. Vick offered a vague apology of sorts at the time of his guilty plea but there was no mention of the dogs he tortured and killed. HSUS of course - *crickets*. (Although they do have the audacity to demand Vick demonstrate sincere remorse.)

I am by nature a forgiving person. I think most people are. If I hear an apology from someone and it feels sincere to me, I am eager to forgive. That doesn't mean I forget, it means I am open to hearing whatever comes next. As of the start of these shenanigans with HSUS and Vick teaming up to stop dogfighting, I am so not there. All I can see is two remorseless peas in a pod, with dollar signs in their eyes and blood on their hands.

11 comments:

EmilyS said...

exactly right.

Vick is a sociopath; until he gets some real therapy and understands his pathology, he can't possibly know what his crimes were, and can't possibly apologize honestly for them.

HSUS is by nature a deceitful organization, and the same holds for them. They will NEVER apologize because there's no incentive.

According to the starry eyed optimists over at PC, it's all good now, because 10 Mo. dogs got out to BadRap (though Christie didn't include the WaPo quote that they will kill 4 of them) and HSUS helped move the dogs to California.

So what's your f'ng problem?

YesBiscuit! said...

What's my f'ing problem?<-----Thanks for that. Fave comment o' the day!

For those interested, EmilyS is referring to this quote from WaPo:

Missouri's Humane Society already got a test of what it might take to place the dogs after 10 more pit bulls were surrendered to HSMO investigators working a phone tip the day after the July 8 nationwide raids. The dogs ended up in California four days later, courtesy of Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls, or Bad Rap, which helped evaluate the dogs taken from NFL star Michael Vick's dogfighting operation.

Bad Rap's Donna Reynolds got commitments for temporary shelter space and foster homes within hours of a frantic flurry of e-mails and calls to Bay Area shelters and rescue groups. Then, Bad Rap evaluated them.

About half were found to be shoe-ins for adoption, such as Jett, a social, dog- and cat-friendly but scarred male. Another candidate, Beauty, was small, muscular and scarred, maybe pregnant. Her ears are cropped short, and she has a bulging, possibly blind eye from an old injury that will get medical attention.

"They were sponges for human affection," Berkeley Animal Care Services volunteer Emily Colwell said.

One is still being evaluated, and four who were not as well socialized will be euthanized after a few days or weeks in a "compassion hold" in a foster home.
__________________

Article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072203042.html

EmilyS said...

oh you silly black helicopter-ish hater, you!

Donna says they're cool.. so they MUST be!

I wonder if HSUS is paying the kill fees for those "compassion hold-then kill them" dogs?

Susan said...

Emily, I am SO not a fan of HSUS, but do you really put BadRap in the same category? Because I tend to think they have a genuine commitment to pitbulls. Individual evaluations do not mean that every dog will pass, and putting some into a "compassion hold" may mean an opportunity for a change in status - otherwise, why waste the foster space? Injections are quicker and cheaper.

Oh, and I thought the "black helicopter" stuff was becoming offensive, too, especially as pursued by other commenters.

EmilyS said...

Susan, I didn't make that comparison, but you may if you choose.

I judge not so much by how organizations present themselves, but more on what they actually do. A dead dog is a dead dog. Nice of HSUS to transport dogs for another organization (which is apparently above criticism) to kill, to accompanying sobs.

Of course I don't expect all the dogs to be saved. Not only are some of them certainly fatally flawed in terms of health and temperament, but as I've posted repeatedly, they are being set up to "HAVE" to be killed so the "pit bull community" (rather than HSUS et al) can be blamed for "failing the dogs". If you don't read Donna blaming the community on this score, you're not reading the same posts that I am (she has personally attacked, among others, Nathan Winograd, and me for our alleged failure to take on these dogs-- which puts me in some good company!)

The criteria for rescuing the dogs are unreasonable and many people/organizations perfectly capable of handling them aren't even being allowed the chance.

How many of those Mo. dogs BR is touting do you really think need some kind of special expertise that only they can provide?

YesBiscuit! said...

OK what about offensive black helicopters? I'm lost.

EmilyS said...

"The HSUS has been a motivated rescue partner since their policy change. Not only for this case, but for several lesser known cases that have come up since the meeting in Vegas. The days of blaming them for blocking rescue efforts are over.

Comment by Donna — July 24, 2009 @ 8:34 am

Thank YOU, Donna.

Hello, black helicopter folks. Are you reading?

Then read this.

We’re telling you: Something’s going on internally at the HSUS.

Or hey … just keep your fingers in your ears and LaLaLa that sweet HSUS hate you love so much. It’s so much easier to keep on doing than to change — or acknowledge change.

Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 24, 2009 @ 8:53 am"

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/07/24/some-missouri-bust-dogs-already-in-foster-homes-evaluations-begin-today/#comments

try to keep up, kthnx

;-)

YesBiscuit! said...

Maybe you hafta be a geek like me to appreciate but that is TOTALLY a compliment.

Christie Keith said...

It's a complete load of crap to say that I said it's "all good now." This is exactly the kind of black and white thinking that makes my head explode.

Emily, do you really not understand the many, many ways that pressure can be applied? A one-note song gets tuned out. Use your imagination.

And do NOT put words in my mouth.

EmilyS said...

uh Christie, I didn't put words in your mouth.
I noted the words you DIDNT put in your mouth.

You and I have different perspectives on this. Do you not agree that you and Gina both are pushing the "HSUS is changing for the better" meme? "It's all good" is my sardonic way of describing what you are saying... You believe the glass is half full. I believe the glass is still mostly empty. I see no white in this story; at best shades of grey.

Kari in Alaska said...

I have to admit that the thought of this makes me rather nauseous. Even though I know that HSUS is starting to work towards a better pit bull policy I can't help to see this as anything more than a setback.