19.6.08

Dog Rescued From Vick Case Becomes Hero For Pitties Everywhere

"Leo — rescued from heavy chains that confined him as one of the pit bulls in former NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s dogfighting ring — is a lover, not a fighter. He now happily frolics in a clown collar as he makes the rounds at the Camino Infusion Center, where he brings comfort to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy."

Leo is my hero.
Leo was rescued from Micheal Vick. He was trained to be a fighter. He was trained to be mean to other dogs. Some might say that he was trained to be a killer.
Most people would hear "Pit bull. Rescued. Fighting." In the same paragraph and automatically assume the dog to be a menace to society- they'd assume he's dangerous- they'd suggest putting him to sleep as soon as possible so he can't wreck havoc around the neighborhood. The town. The city. THE WORLD!!
But, this just wasn't the case for Leo.
Leo is changing opinions about pit bulls everywhere.
Leo is proving to be a pretty good guy.
Once trained to fight, Leo is now being trained to help.
Once fighting in the pits, held back from life by a huge chain- poorly trained and probably just as poorly socialized- Leo is now serving as a service dog at the Camino Infusion Center- the place he goes to bring comfort to patients going through chemotherapy.
Despite his background, despite his looks, despite his breed- Leo is adored by the patients and he easily brings them joy.

“He is wonderful, and all the patients love Leo,” said Paula Reed, the facility’s oncology director. “They really love his eyes and gentleness.”

About six months ago, the shocking truth is, Leo should've died. Officers had raided Vick's Bad Newz Kennels in Smithfield, VA- and, during the raid they found dogs chained to buried car axels. Forensics discovered remains of dogs that had been shot with a .22-caliber pistol, electrocuted, drowned, hanged or slammed to the ground for lacking a desire to fight. Vick was suspended from the Atlanta Falcons and is serving 23 months for pleading guilty in the participation of the dog-fighting operation and helping to kill as many as eight dogs. Not enough, I'd say.

About 50 dogs were rescued.

One of the dogs was put down for being too aggressive. The others were dispersed to sanctuaries and training facilities across the country. One of them was Leo. He ended up in the care of Marthina McClay. After only five weeks of intense training, Leo is now a pussy cat.

It’s the age-old story of second chances. By living his, Leo helps tear down entrenched stereotypes that pit bulls are irredeemable killers.

“Leo is definitely an ambassador to the breed,” McClay said. “The staff at various facilities will say, ‘I will never see pit bulls the same again
.’”

Read more or watch the video at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25214356/