The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption
By Jim Gorant; read by Paul Michael Garcia
Blackstone Audio, September 2010

In April 2007, football player Michael Vick’s Virginia home was raided, and the fifty-one dogs of his Bad Newz dog fighting kennel were seized, and Vick and others arrested. At the time, dogs from a fight ring were treated as unlicensed weapons that needed to be destroyed as soon as the legal proceedings were finished. This time, something different happened, as the rescue community, led by the pit bull rescue BAD RAP, mobilized to have the dogs individually assessed, and save as many of them as possible.

The Lost Dogs follows the Vick dogs from their seizure, through the legal proceedings, to their placement in foster homes and the Best Friends animal sanctuary. We see some of them through to their Canine Good Citizen certificates and happy adoptions.

The first third is tough for a dog lover, and also for anyone who might like to think that Michael Vick just bankrolled the operation, and wasn’t involved in or aware of the horrific abuse that occurred above and beyond just forcing the dogs to fight. The unpleasant truth is that Vick was not just fully aware, but actively participated in beating to death, electrocuting, or hanging dogs who failed to measure up as fighters. Then, thankfully, we move on to the dogs.

We follow Jasmine, Jonny Rotten, Little Red Hair, Bouncer, and others, as they are assessed, transported, placed in foster homes or at Best Friends, and gradually learn to be normal dogs, to trust people, and to cope with such startling features of the outside world as stairs. Only one dog had to be euthanized for medical reasons, and it is, sadly, not clear whether her injury was received before or after the Vick dogs were seized by legal authorities. More startlingly, for many people, only one dog had to be euthanized for uncorrectable, dangerous, behavior problems.

Many of the dogs were overgrown puppies; they never experienced the outside world and everything in it is new, surprising, and exciting for them. Some are traumatized and shut down. For Jasmine, it takes her months to get confident enough to just eat in the presence of people, or to potty with anyone nearby. Jonny Rotten’s story, on the other hand, will make you smile, and even laugh. We also see the struggles of the rescuers and foster families.

This is a disturbing yet ultimately highly satisfying book. I’ve seen reviews that say you should read it especially if you love pit bulls; I think you should read it especially if you hate or fear pit bulls, and believe the media hype about them being destructive monsters.

The only negative I found is that Paul Michael Garcia, who reads it, does so in Extremely measured. And deliberate. Tones, frequently causing me to think that my iPod had stopped playing or my head phones had come unplugged from it, when in fact I just need to wait for another couple of seconds for the next sentence.

Highly recommended.
This book was a gift from a friend, and I have received no compensation for this review.

Reviewer Bio:
Lis and Addy

Lis Carey is a librarian with an odd sense of humor, who finds excitement in helping people find the information they need, and in the varied corners of library work–reference, cataloging, circulation, resource development, reader’s advisory. She reads voraciously and enjoys a wide variety of material–including, of course, fiction and non-fiction about dogs and cats. Addy, her Chinese Crested, is always happy to keep her company while reading, and occasionally tries to help write the reviews.

Check out her Blog Lis Carey’s Library for more Book Reviews.

During the last week of September every year, libraries, bookstores, and blogs around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of banned books and hosting a variety of events. Lis’ blog is participating by taking part in the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop, Sept. 24-Oct. 1. Her book of choice to Review and Giveaway for this event is the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. You can read all about why the book has been sensors and put on the banned list in some communities. Check out her post http://www.liscareyslibrary.com/2011/09/banned-books-week-hop.html and then visit the 234 other blogs participating in the Banned Book Blog Hop.