Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who acknowledged in a letter last fall that he once again owned a dog, has been spotted at New Jersey-area PetSmart store, getting his dog trained, according Crossingbroad.com.
Vick, who was sentenced in 2007 to a 23-month prison term for running a dogfighting operation, has been spotted at the PetSmart with his family and a bodyguard. They are attending dog- training classes for their dog Angel, who is a Belgian Malinois.
Various tipsters reported seeing Vick frequent the PetSmart with Angel even before the classes began. He has signed up for a six-week training class that takes place every Monday.
When Vick announced that he legally owned a dog in the fall, there were many critics who were strongly against his ownership, although there were some who were in favor of it.
“I understand the strong emotions by some people about our family’s decision to care for a pet,” Vick wrote. “As a father, it is important to make sure my children develop a healthy relationship with animals. I want to ensure that my children establish a loving bond and treat all of God’s creatures with kindness and respect.”
After finding out about Vick’s ownership of a dog in the fall, Rachel Querry, director of communications for the Humane Society of the United States, said the society had no prior knowledge nor did they participate in his decision.
“We are paying attention to this too, but it’s not a major animal welfare issue,” Querry wrote in statement to Ecorrazzi.com.
Vick maintained that Angel is well cared for and loved as a member of his family.
“This is an opportunity to break the cycle,” Vick wrote. “To that end, I will continue to honor my commitment to animal welfare and be an instrument of positive change.”
