Vick pit bulls recommended for placement

Press Release: Wed, December 5, 2007

Of the 48 remaining American Pit Bull Terriers in the Michael Vick civil forfeiture case, 47 have been recommended for placement with rescue organizations, with many likely eligible for future adoption by the public. The recommendations were made Dec. 4 by Valparaiso University School of Law Professor Rebecca J. Huss, court appointed guardian/special master of the dogs. One dog has been euthanized for medical reasons.

“I am confident in the rescue organizations I recommended for permanent placement,” Huss said upon submitting her summary report to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “With the experienced care they will provide these dogs, I foresee that many will eventually be able to be adopted by members of the public.”

Huss recommended the dogs be placed with eight organizations. Those receiving the most dogs are Best Friends Animal Society, with 22, and Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls (BAD RAP), with 10. The U.S. Attorney filed a motion in U.S. District Court yesterday, Dec. 4, containing the report and urging the Court to adopt its recommendations. The Court will now determine whether to accept or deny the motion.

The summary report details Huss’ work. It included traveling to Virginia on multiple occasions to interact with the dogs and their caretakers as well as speaking with animal control officers and numerous rescue organizations. Huss also relied on information from the initial ASPCA report, daily or weekly reports from interim care providers and reports from BAD RAP, which provided kennel evaluation services. A team from Best Friends Animal Society supplied feedback after evaluating the dogs remaining in shelters.

Several dogs previously had been moved to interim foster care for training and assessment. Other dogs were transferred to facilitate their continued evaluation and dogs from one Virginia shelter were later taken to a Washington, D.C., shelter due to an unexpected staffing shortage.

“While in the foster home, each dog must continue to exhibit behavior indicating it would be safe to the public prior to being adopted,” Huss said. “For the dogs that may need to remain in a sanctuary environment, although there will certainly be a period of adjustment, I believe that these dogs may not just survive, but thrive in that environment.

“I thank the shelters and organizations that assisted in the process. They are dedicated, hardworking and have contributed much to this effort. The shelters were very accommodating, and everyone I dealt with in the federal government was responsive to the need to act quickly to set up a structure to place the dogs.”

In July, the United States filed a civil forfeiture action relating to approximately 53 American Pit Bull Terriers located on Vick’s property. On Oct. 15, the court appointed Huss guardian/special master of the 48 surviving pit bulls. Due to the ongoing criminal case, the rescue organizations and Professor Huss are unable to disclose information about the dogs until at least Jan. 25, 2008.

The eight organizations where Vick’s pit bulls have been placed are:

• Best Friends Animal Society, Kaneb, Utah (22 dogs),
• BAD RAP, Oakland, California (10 dogs),
• Richmond Animal League, Richmond VA (4 dogs),
• Georgia S.P.C.A., Suwanee, GA (3 dogs),
• SPCA of Monterey County, CA (3 dogs),
• Recycled Love, Inc., Baltimore, MD (3 dogs),
• Animal Rescue of Tidewater, Chesapeake, VA (1 dog) and
• Our Pack, Inc. (1 dog).