Vick takes 8-hour PETA course in empathy

[samanthajane13]

NORFOLK, Va. - Michael Vick was attentive and inquisitive during an eight-hour class in empathy and animal protection at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals headquarters, a PETA spokesman said Tuesday.

Dan Shannon was with the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback for the duration of the class, taught by several PETA staff members. Vick is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 10 on a federal dogfighting conspiracy conviction. He also has been indicted on state dogfighting charges.

Vick was the only student for the Sept. 18 class, Shannon said.

"He was asking questions, following up on points we were making, taking notes," Shannon said. "He seemed to be putting an honest effort into trying to get something out of the course."

Shannon said Vick told him "he wished he had gotten to take a course like this five years ago."

Vick first visited PETA's offices in Norfolk on Sept. 7 and met with Ingrid Newkirk, the group's president. According to PETA's Web site, Vick apologized for his abuse of dogs.

Newkirk offered to make the course available to Vick, Shannon said.
"Actually, we were very surprised he took us up on it," he said. "We made it clear to him that this was something he needed to try to get something out of. We weren't interested in some kind of PR ploy."

He said PETA officials also told Vick they still believe he deserves prison time. Vick faces up to five years in prison in the federal case.

Shannon said Vick passed a "very rigorous" written test at the conclusion of the course.

PETA wants the NFL to require the course, or one like it, for all players, Shannon said.
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On the Net:
PETA: http://www.peta.org (http://www.peta.org)

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I hope he got something out of it, and I hope it drives hime the fact that he did a horrible thing.

[kurro07]

WTF? Come on! I don't believe for one second that he didn't know how to be kind to pets or that dogfighting was wrong. He's just sorry he got caught.

[samanthajane13]

Yeah..tell me about it.

Stupid sadistic PUTZ!!!!

Meanwhile....

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nws/p/ap_small.gif (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/brand/SIG=br2v03;_ylt=AsL9JgwcQ80YAdRYpLGqxr4N97QF/*http://www.ap.org)
Vick not expected in court Wednesday
By HANK KURZ Jr., AP Sports Writer
Tue Oct 2, 7:10 PM ET


RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick's lawyers will make their first Surry County, Va. court appearance Wednesday for state dogfighting charges against the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback. Vick, already scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 10 on a federal dogfighting charge, is not expected to attend the Circuit Court hearing, prosecutor Gerald G. Poindexter said.

Wednesday's hearing is to determine whether Vick and three co-defendants have secured legal counsel or need the court to provide lawyers.

"It's just going to be a routine day," Poindexter said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Trial dates for Vick and the others on the state charges will be set Nov. 27, he said.

Vick was indicted last week in the rural county where he built a massive home on 15 acres that had been home to a dogfighting enterprise since 2001. He's charged with beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting. Each felony is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Lawyers for Vick have indicated they will fight the state charges on the grounds that he can't be convicted twice of the same crime. In pleading guilty to the federal charge on Aug. 27, Vick admitted helping kill six to eight dogs, among other things. He faces up to five years in prison. Co-defendants Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips also pleaded guilty to the same federal charge.

On Tuesday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals announced Vick completed an eight-hour class in empathy and animal protection Sept. 18 at the group's Norfolk headquarters. The organization said Vick took the course during his second visit to their headquarters and returned a third time to take a written test.

PETA did not reveal his score on the test, which spokesman Dan Shannon said includes an essay and long-answer questions.

Vick, suspended indefinitely by the NFL without pay, did himself no favors last month when he tested positive for marijuana, a violation of U.S.

District Court Judge Henry Hudson's order that he stay clean in exchange for being allowed to be free.

After that positive test, Hudson ordered Vick confined to his home address between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., with electronic monitoring and random drug testing.

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It just soooo sux to be Mikey...:D

[awakening2lite]

Too little, Too LATE!!!!

I hope the Judge gives him the longest and toughest sentence possible!

[Jo_Momma_82]

Come on.... if putting those dogs through torture and death didn't do much for him, then what the heck is PETA going to say thats going to SHOCK him into the reality of what he's done ? I don't think he's sorry for what he did as much as he's sorry that he got busted.

[AlsoKnownAs]

Come on! Was taking the course a decision by Vicks? Or more likely IMHO was at the advice of his Lawyers. It would look good when he appears for sentencing AKA :shrug: :chicken:

[Inletwatcher]

Peta .....its a shame that they have to use shock as the way of teaching. Like the video my daughter found of a fox skinned whial it was alive. My girl did not sleep for a day and a half. I don't think that any amount of "shock" treatment can remove the rotton that is within some people. Its in their genes. Its in their soul.
It is the very make up of thier being.
God bless the children and the animals, for we cannot speak for ourselves.

Peace, Inlet

[deputydi]

Peta .....its a shame that they have to use shock as the way of teaching. Like the video my daughter found of a fox skinned whial it was alive. My girl did not sleep for a day and a half. I don't think that any amount of "shock" treatment can remove the rotton that is within some people. Its in their genes. Its in their soul.
It is the very make up of thier being.
God bless the children and the animals, for we cannot speak for ourselves.

Peace, Inlet
I so totally agree with your post, Inlet. I think PETA would get more respect if they didn't resort to such disgusting ads and promotions. I don't have to see the gory details to know these sick people exist and know that the cruelty has to stop.

[maryhaze]

that's rich considering ingrid hates pits too. they probably compared kill notes!:mad:

[Louisadelmar]

I so totally agree with your post, Inlet. I think PETA would get more respect if they didn't resort to such disgusting ads and promotions. I don't have to see the gory details to know these sick people exist and know that the cruelty has to stop.

I have no respect for PETA. I remember when they let a bunch of ferrets loose thereby condemning them to starvation, predation, and dying of thirst. Not to mention the pets they took from people saying they'd find them homes but instead killed and threw in a dumpster before they even returned to headquarters.