Vick Dogfighting Property Sold to Animal Welfare Group

It seems to me that recently hardly a day goes by when my email box isn’t filled with countless heart wrenching animal cruelty stories.  As an avid animal lover, it’s very disturbing to me.

On the other hand, it’s always refreshing and inspirational when I discover those heartwarming articles which every once in a while land in my email box.  I was delighted the other day when I ran across a good news item published on NBC 10 Philadelphia website about the sale of Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennel property to Dogs Deserve Better.

Dogs Deserve Better, a 501c3 nonprofit animal welfare organization whose purpose is being the “voice for chained and penned dogs, whose sadness speaks only through their eyes”, purchased Michael Vick’s property, Bad Newz Kennel and is building a sanctuary for abused dogs to possibly be called Good Newz Rehab Center.

The group started rescuing and fostering and rehoming rescued dogs nine years ago, searching for their own permanent facility.  Over the years, almost 3,000 dogs have been rescued, through volunteers and foster home placements. Finally the Tipton, Pennsylvania based organization purchased the Vick 5-bedroom home property in Surry County, Virginia, for $600,000. What once was a house of horrors where fighting dogs were trained has been transformed into a rehabilitation center and sanctuary for dogs who were abused.

Tamira Thayne, the group’s founder told NBC, “I think by us overtaking this property we are winning for the dogs. We are, in essence, giving this property back to the dogs that were abused there by using it to help other dogs just like them.”

To build a facility for the dogs, build fencing and fully pay for the site, Dogs Deserve Better eventually wants to raise $3 million. The former Vick home which has an attached two car garage, 5 bedrooms, four and 1/2 bathrooms, cathedral ceilings, two fireplaces and walk in closets will be made into new headquarters for the group. Thayne and another staff member will live in the house to make sure the dogs are all ok.

Presently Dogs Deserve Better depends on foster parents, and personal staff homes in which the dogs are handled, housetrained in readiness for adoption by families as beloved pets. Literally thousands of dogs each year are waiting for help from Dogs Deserve Better. Sadly, it’s impossible to reach them all.

But when the Rehabilitation Center is finally built on their property, the organization is hoping to be able to start off by helping as many as 500 dogs a year. As the organization grows, and they become more experienced, they are hoping to be able to increase the number of dogs whose lives will be changed forever.

To get an “up close and personal” opportunity to see what this fabulous organization is doing to help dogs who were abused, watch the video uploaded to YouTube by tammyddb.