Memorial for the Dogs
Vicktory Dogs/Survivor Dogs
Just found out that most of the former M. Vick dogs have gone on to greener pastures over the rainbow. Sweet Ginger, who I met, passed 2 months after my Cici girl. Stella has left earth too and now Shadow, the last of the Best Friends dogs has gone, too now, sad. Seventy dogs were rescued from Bad Newz Kennels in 2007.
The last of the Vicktory Dogs at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Shadow, died last week just shy of his 16th birthday. For the family who adopted him nearly ten years ago, the loss of this special dog has left them heartbroken. Shadow was the last; he succumbed to a mass in his lungs that was too close to his heart.
The following dogs are still with us: Chuck, Frodo, Ginger (not to be confused with Ginger Girl), Harriet, Johnny J, Hazel (Mabel), Maki, Rose, Uba, Seven, Sussex & Piper.
The Lost Dogs book by Jim Gorant
The bestselling story of survival and our powerful bond with man's best friend, in the aftermath of the nation's most notorious animal cruelty case. Featuring a new Afterword with updates on the Vick dogs.
Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog-fighting operation. But what became of the fifty-one dogs who survived?
V Dogs reunion at Best Friends in 2013
Survivor Dogs
When Ginger first came to Stacy’s home, she was 28 pounds, would not eat and hid out a lot behind furniture. She was terrified of people and Stacy had a difficult time getting her to cross any threshold. Ginger had door issues. It didn’t matter whether it was a front or back door. Ginger just did not want to go inside. She’d hunker down on the ground. For some reason, a lot of the dogs had issues with doorways.
And it took a long time to get Ginger used to new situations and environments. She would just shake and hide. When Stacy first brought Ginger to work with her at the SPCA, Ginger would hide behind the desk. Ginger had to learn to relax around people. Occasionally, now she goes to work with Stacy and she is a different girl.
My blog post about meeting Ginger, Stella and Red at the Monterey SPCA
Stella
Beloved Stella. She is no longer in pain and able to move again to join some amazing dogs that I know she loved and missed. I have no doubt she will be waiting for us to join her one day. She left the earth on November 21, 2018.
“In October of 2007 I drove up with a coworker to Bad Rap and picked up three dogs that had just made it to California from Virginia. One was scared, hiding in the back of her crate not wanting to come out or near us. I sat there at the opening tossing treats, getting a leash on her and eventually crawled inside, picking her up and carrying her out to take with us. That was Ginger Girl. Then there was a stoic one named Red that just came right up to us and walked right to the van ready to go. And lastly there was Stella…full of life, vocal and all over the place…..the wild child of our group. We drove the three of them back down to Monterey and took them to the SPCA. We set them up and that is where I got to know some amazing dogs. The court at that point had not allowed the dogs to go into foster yet so we were caring for them at our facility. At the time, I was an animal care tech and took care of them daily and started to get to know them pretty well. Red was slow to warm up to us, not trusting what was going on and would watch and take it all in daily. Ginger would run from us and there was a lot of sitting, treat tossing, and patience.
“Then there was Stella. She was a spitfire, jumping, grabbing your clothes, and just wanting your full attention. As the three adjusted they began to trust us more and show us just the beginning of what would become some truly amazing dogs. Once we were able to put them in foster they each got their first taste of what life should be like as a family pet.
Red
Red went into foster with a coworker for a few months but ended up not being the right fit. So after talking with my family I brought home a little red dog that left a huge mark on all of our lives. He became the SPCA greeter and my work buddy. Shortly after getting him we noticed some lumps and they multiplied. It was mast cell tumors, so we had them removed, did chemo and had an amazing two more years with him until cancer took him in April of 2010.
Don’t forget to watch Hector’s former guardian RooYori aka K9 Ninja Warrior on American Ninja Warrior September 14, 2020.
https://celiasuefbookit.substack.com/p/adopt-a-dog
On his final day in 2018, Dan
“went for a car ride, sat in the grass at the park he loved near his wooded trail, he ate three scrambled eggs, and settled softly on his spot on the couch.”
In January, Meryl, the last of the 22 dogs rescued in 2007 living at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary passed away. Another Vicktory Dog named Cherry also died the previous week at the sanctuary where the dogs lived.
“On Thursday, we said goodbye to sweet, beautiful Meryl, the last Vicktory dog living at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. She suffered a sudden and dramatic decline that put her in distress and discomfort. Her caregivers, along with our veterinary staff, reluctantly made that difficult decision.”
From Susan Weidel, Little Red’s mom… “For five years, Vick and his people tried to make her mean. They were not successful. She stayed true to her kind and gentle nature even in the face of the most brutal and abhorrent treatment.”
My interview with Susan about Little Red
Cherry Garcia just passed in January 2020
Vicktory Dog Squeaker crossed the rainbow bridge. Our hearts go out to her incredible family, who shared this beautiful tribute with us:
“Five months have passed since Squeaker’s death and even after all this time I am having a very hard time talking about her. I am in tears as I write this and I am sorry that I didn’t announce her death, but I just couldn’t!
Squeaker died March 31st, we suspect it was from cancer. Her symptoms were very acute, and she was happy until the very end when it happened and I rushed her up to the clinic.
Squeaker was the love of my life, my purpose in life, and my closest friend. She was always happy, always thumping her tail, and was always looking at you with those loving eyes- she was a true diamond in the rough! I often felt that some higher force made me move to Kanab and work at Best Friends because I was meant to meet her; meeting her and becoming her mom was the highlight in my life. I think that Squeaker was proof that dogs that come from difficult situations can blossom and can become the biggest gift in your life (don’t forget, she ended up living with 7 dogs, several cats, and a reptile!). I was highly protective of her, but the only thing I could not protect her from is time. I will always miss her
Jonny Justice and a few other dogs are still here with us (see the list).
The following dogs are still with us: Chuck, Frodo, Ginger (not to be confused with Ginger Girl), Harriet, Johnny J, Hazel (Mabel), Maki, Rose, Uba, Seven, Sussex & Piper.
