Most pet owners take daily measures to ensure their critters are healthy and happy and cannot imagine ever intentionally harming or mistreating their pet in any way. When news surfaced about former NFL player Michael Vick’s dog fight yard, the reports and photos of the victimized dogs were devastating and shocking to the public.

In the past, shelters have been encouraged to put all fight bust dogs to their deaths as it was assumed they would be dangerous and uncontrollable. However, the 49 dog victims found in Vick’s yard earned celebrity due to their association with a fallen sports figure as well as being part of a landmark animal welfare case. Federal prosecuting attorneys, federal agents, the USDA, six Virginia animal shelters, a court appointed animal law expert and several rescue organization all collaborated to find ways to send this ‘Kennel Trash’ to new and better lives with rescue organizations around the country.

The first of its kind rescue effort aimed to rehabilitate and evaluate the dogs found in the fighting venture and give them basic obedience training. Only one dog was too aggressive to be handled. The remaining 48 dogs were safe to touch although nearly half the pack was under socialized and leery of people. Twenty-two dogs were quite happy with people and dog-social enough to go onto new lives in foster homes with other pets.

All the recovered dogs have different personalities yet most have become well-mannered, loving pets. Rescue workers worked with the dogs to help their bodies heal from neglect and stress and found stable homes with generous amounts of structure, guidance and training to assist the wounded dogs in feeling secure. Having a routine and a leader they can look to for direction gives the dogs like those found at Vick’s home experiences most other dogs take for granted.

The Vick dogs along with the rescue workers who have helped rehabilitate them are pioneers in proving fight bust dogs can go onto live good lives and become gentle enough to live with children. The work encouraged by the federal government revealed new information about dogs from fight busts and helped shatter old myths previously used to condemn them. The case has also helped break down the stereotypes the pit bull breed has suffered. Unfortunately, there are many fighting ventures that do not receive the press given the Vick case, however in this case, the notoriety worked in a positive manner to help change the world for dogs who have been abused.