The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption was a difficult book to start. Now, notice I didn't say Jim Gorant's book was difficult to finish. If you're like me, you'll skim through those sections in italics, and delve into the meat of the book. The italicized parts, as the dogs observe what is happening to them on Vick's property, is heartbreaking. But, it's easy to get through that part to the rest of the book, a rewarding, and, at times, triumphant story.Gorant quotes Gandhi, and it's worth repeating here. "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." When Michael Vick spent his football earnings to buy fifteen acres in Smithfield, Virginia, and then used that property to raise dogs for dogfighting, it said a great deal about Vick and his friends. But, the story of the people who found the evidence against Vick is a true crime story of good triumphing over opposition. A rural Virginia deputy, Bill Brinkman, pushed for an investigation. When nothing worked on the local level, he turned to Jim Knorr, an undercover senior special agent with the USDA's Office of the Inspector General. And, Mike Gill from the U.S. Attorney's office, not only took over the case, but pushed to determine if those dogs could be rehabilitated.
And, the section of the book about rehabilitation is absolutely wonderful. It took time and a number of organizations and individuals, but the story of the reclamation of these pit bulls is remarkable. Sixty-six dogs were removed from Vick's property. Some died before they had the chance to be evaluated. But, there was a remarkable team put together to evaluate and place each individual dog. Of the forty-nine dogs evaluated, forty-seven were given a second chance.
Wait until you read the stories of the people and dogs who worked together to find a second life for these dogs. Jonny Justice is one of my favorites, a dog who now participates in the Paws for Tales program, listening to children read at the public library. But there are dogs that are now therapy dogs, dogs that are family pets. And, there's a summary that provides an individual profile for each dog who wasn't followed in the course of the reclamation story.
Jim Gorant has taken a story of tragedy, and turned it into a remarkable story of people who cared to save Michael Vick's dogs. The Lost Dogs is, in the end, a triumphant story of people who took on a difficult task, an investigation of a popular football player, and then a reclamation effort to save the dogs the player and his friends tried to destroy.
I understand this is a difficult subject, but The Lost Dogs is a rewarding book to read. I have one copy of the book to give away. If you're interested in winning, email me at lholstine@yahoo.com, with the subject line "Win The Lost Dogs." Include your name and mailing address. Entrants in the U.S. only, please. The contest will end at 5 AM tomorrow (Friday) morning, and I'll draw the name by random number generator. The publisher will send a copy of the book.
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The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant. Gotham Books, ©2010. ISBN 9781592405503 (hardcover), 304p.
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FTC Full Disclosure - TLC Book Tours sent me a copy of the book, so I could participate in Gorant's blog tour.
