Animal advocates call on Eagles to match Vick’s salary in shelter donations
August 19, 2009
Click here to send your own email to Jeffrey Lurie now
Amy Worden
Philly.com’s Philly Dawg Blog
A Philadelphia-based animal welfare group is asking the Eagles to put their money where their mouth is.
DogPac, a political action committee and advocacy group, sent a letter to Eagles owner Jeff Lurie today asking him to match every dollar he pays Michael Vick with a donation to area animal shelter.
That means a total of $6.6 million over two years.
“The Philadelphia Eagles have repeatedly stated that they believe in giving second chances,” said Tom Hickey Sr., chairman of DogPAC and a member of the state Dog Law Advisory Board. ”I believe this is a way for the Eagles to clearly demonstrate that they are willing to invest equally in giving a second chance to the dogs that are the victims of this brutal illegal activity.”
In addition to the letter to Lurie, Hickey sent an email to the 23,000 people on the DogPAC list urging them to send emails to the Eagles and show their support for the donation request. As of noon 925 letters had been sent to Lurie, Hickey said.
Hickey said the Eagles contribution should go toward enforcing animal cruelty laws and helping care for and rehabilitate fighting dogs.
“With this matching contribution dogs that have been brutalized will be able to receive the necessary medical and behaviorial care that is necessary to give them that second chance of being adopted into a loving and caring home,” he said.
There has been no word from the Eagles on exactly what will be expected from Vick as far as his anti-dog fighting activities are concerned or what, if anything, the team plans to do to help the area’s animals in the months and years ahead.
Here is the letter DogPac sent to its email list:
Are you as outraged as I am that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick? I’m sure that you are, and you have every right to be. Vick has admitted doing barbaric things to dogs, and the Eagles have shown horrible judgement by making him a member of their team.
The Eagles say that Vick will use his position to help save dogs and show kids that animal abuse is wrong. That simply is not good enough.
However, I believe that by working together we can make the Eagles put their money where their mouth is and do something very positive for dogs in Philadelphia.
That’s why I’ve sent a letter to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie urging him to prove his team’s commitment to stopping dog abuse by donating AT LEAST the equivalent of Michael Vick’s salary to dog shelters and rescues every year that Vick is an Eagle. That would mean donations of $1.6 million this year and $5 million next year, if Vick is still on the team.
Now I need your help to put public pressure on the Eagles organization to make this happen. Please join me by sending an email to Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie telling him to prove his commitment to protecting dogs by agreeing to make these donations.
Click here to send an email to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie telling him to put his money where his mouth is to protect dogs.
The Eagles have said that they are giving Michael Vick a “second chance” by putting him on the team. By making these substantial donations to rescues and shelters the Eagles could give a second chance to thousands of dogs that have been abused, maimed and tortured by dog fighting rings just like the one that Michael Vick ran.
If they believe that Vick’s second chance is worth $1.6 million this year, then we believe it’s worth at least that much to give second chances to thousands of innocent dogs who otherwise would be destroyed.
Please help me convince the Eagles and Jeffrey Lurie that this is the right thing to do by sending him an email right now.
Please forward this email to your friends, relatives and neighbors who love dogs and ask them to join you by emailing Jeffrey Lurie too.
Thank you for your continuing support and for everything you do to help protect dogs in Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Tom Hickey, Sr.
DogPAC Chairman
Click here to send your own email to Jeffrey Lurie now
Click here to read this post on the Philly Dawg Blog
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4 Responses to “Animal advocates call on Eagles to match Vick’s salary in shelter donations”
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Dear Mr. Hickey, DogPAC
I received a forwarded copy of your e-mail regarding Michael Vick.
I would ask you to consider your concept to demand funds from the Eagles for hiring this ex-offender a bit further.
I have also served a prison term, and I now work for an organization that seeks to improve the successful re-entry of ex-offenders into our communities. I would ask if you expect every employer of a former inmate to do the same as you ask of the Eagles?
If so, then how do you imagine this will impact those re-entering society after committing a crime, who desire to lead productive lives, and contribute to society?
If their debt to society was not paid for by their incarceration, then why have courts, judges and prison sentences? If the convicted never stand a chance to recover and make changes in their lives- because people who have never been convicted of a crime greater than a traffic ticket won’t give them a chance, then why bother with the justice system at all? The basic fact is, individuals who obtain gainful employment after prison are able to to contribute to society, not re-commit additional crimes, thus lowering the crime rate. Also, your theory would affect 1 in 28 people in Pennsylvania, since that is today’s statistic- 1 in 28 Pennsylvanians have been convicted of a crime, are in prison or on parole. I believe your theory to demand funds from employers would devastate our econ my, not to mention increase the crime rate by making ex-offenders un-hireable.
I am not a football fan, but I am also a pet lover and do not discount what his actions did; however, he has been tried and served his time according to the laws of this nation. Nowhere was it stated that Mr. Vick was no longer able to continue in his profession. I hope you will consider the fact that your stance is damaging to human beings and society.
Yes, the Eagles should donate to help dogs. After all, they are not only getting Vick cheap, but are also capitalizing on his notoriety.
But let’s not let forget the role of the NFL in this. They are going to make money not only on the Vick Eagle’s jersey, but also the new and ‘in poor taste” Vick Dog Jersey.
The Eagle’s and the NFL should donate the proceeds of ALL Vick football memorabilia to help dogs.
Meanwhile, let’s all support Dick’s Sporting goods by making purchases there. Dick’s should be applauded for their decision not to sell any Vick memorabilia.
I truly dont understand how you hope to save puppies on the streets by trying to extort money from the the Eagles Owner . ARE YOU SERIOUS ??? You have every right to protest and not support the Eagles for signing Mike Vick but to demand that they Match his contract to a contribution to ur cause . Thats Just Insane . Why not just Mike Vick or the Eagles organization to do a commercial for ur cause . OK , you got ur groups name on sportscenter and now go door to door or do a car wash and raise ur own funds . No one owns u anything and you and ur cause look really petty for demanding money from the Eagle …. Please folks , GET A LIFE !!!
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