September 12, 2009

NEW YORK -- A Pennsylvania animal rescue group is not rolling over about Michael Vick's return to the NFL. Main Line Animal Rescue thinks Michael Vick should take a few hits for the dogs, as well as for change -- and it has come up with a creative way to get it done.

To rally the home crowd against the ex-convict but also his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, the rescue announced this week its plan to buy newspaper ads in cities where the Eagles will visit. The ad says that for every time Vick is tackled in a game, the group will donate five bags of dog food to the home team's local shelter.

Vick's conditional reinstatement into the NFL gained mixed reactions from the football world earlier this summer but rose to a top Twitter trending topic last month when the Eagles announced their decision to sign the former No. 1 draft pick.

While he did take a significant salary cut -- signed to a two-year contract for nearly $7 million -- the Philadelphia team's deal came as a surprise to most, considering the Eagles were initially one of 26 teams to publicly state no interest in the quarterback.

In the hours and days following the official announcement, the Eagles' Web site flooded with fan responses -- some seemingly indifferent to Vick's negative past of dog fighting and animal cruelty accusations. While others -- recognizing the state's already dodgy reputation for being a puppy mill haven -- were outraged over what this means for the team they so staunchly supported.

Eds. Note: This article is one of several news stories happening right now in the world of pets and animals. Be sure to watch the Zootoo Pet News videocast above to stay current.

Tesstown, an Eagles' site user, posted the longest comment out of more than 100 listed as of 11 p.m. EST on Thursday, August 14, the evening the news leaked of Vick landing with the Eagles.

"I am completely in shock that my Eagles signed Michael Vick. I just cannot believe it," Tesstown said. "I am a life-long Eagles fan through thick and thin. I have stuck with the Eagles through bad times and never wavered.

"I am also a football fan ... and Michael Vick was my chosen quarterback in two of those years, before I knew about his passion for torture and killing of animals. I cannot support the Eagles anymore," Tesstown continued in the online comment of which this was just an excerpt.

Tesstown's sentiments echoed 46 percent Zootoo Pet News' users who voted that: "I'd be outraged, boycott games, sell my season tickets and publicly protest my former favorite team," if Vick signed with their club.

While the true repercussions are yet to be seen, this new ad is sure to draw up a bit of controversy.

The first of the ad series will run in The Washington Post, correlating to the October 26 game against the Redskins.

Motivated by helping animals and raising awareness about abused dogs like Pit bulls Bill Smith, the animal rescue's founder, says he's also contacted newspapers in San Diego and Chicago.

Main Line Animal Rescue is one of the most prominent animal rescues nationwide. Located in Chester Springs, a suburb of Philadelphia, they are know for leading the fight against Pennsylvania's puppy mills.

Educating the public on the plight of these mistreated animals, they utilize prominent billboards to get their message across. They can even be credited for Oprah Winfrey's powerful series on puppy mills by first getting the powerhouse's attention through one of these billboards, strategically placed across from the HARPO studios in Chicago.

For more information, visit MainLineRescue.com

Zootoo Pet News staffers, Robin Wallace and Elisabeth Brock, contributed to this report.

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