Ginger Girl

It's a sad commentary on the morality of the NFL.

Ginger Girl

Earlier this week the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Michael Vick to their team. As a football fan, it is somewhat easy to see the transaction for what it means to the Steelers; one player stepping in to replace an injured player. As an animal lover, I wrinkle my nose in disgust and there is a strong sense of betrayal. As the devoted companion to Ginger for the past 7 ½ years, it is almost surreal. Honestly, I laughed when I heard they signed him. Perhaps, it was shock? With the season starting I thought we were safe, but once again, some team has the AUDACITY to hire this person? They are willing to ask him to join their team and endure the anger, betrayal and sadness from a legion of fans…lifetime fans of the Steelers, fans of football, fans of dogs, fans of humanity?

I rarely think about Michael Vick and Ginger’s past. I celebrate Ginger as the dog she is now and the life she is living, rather than the past she came from. More than eight years after being rescued she is my little goober, my hiking companion, my co-pilot, and most importantly, my best friend.

I despise her past and everything about. I admit, I have never read the The Lost Dogs…I scanned a few pages and then put it away. I am not sure when and if I will ever be able to read it. I don’t need to know the exact details of her past to know she experienced and/or witnessed significant trauma. This happy spoiled dog is unrecognizable from the dog that arrived at The SPCA for Monterey in October 2007. There are dogs that are shy…Ginger was beyond shy, she was miserable and manic in her fear of everything. Some dogs “pancake” in their fear; Ginger was the opposite and wanted to run and will still try to escape if she is scared (that is why she is always on leash). I thought her tail was broken – it was constantly wrapped so tightly under her butt I preferred that as an explanation, rather than acknowledge it was her spirit that was broken…not her tail. She was so uncomfortable being touched that she expressed her anal glands on more than one occasion. To this day she has only allowed a select few to engage in real petting or physical contact with her. She has no physical scars but she has deep emotional scars.

I like to capture Ginger’s positive spirit and happy days so writing about her past seems overly dramatic and an embellishment for the sake of a story. Sadly, this is her story but unlike some of the dogs tortured and killed at Bad Newz Kennels by Michael Vick, she gets her happily ever after and I am thankful for that each and every day.

To all of the Pittsburgh Steelers fans, I am so incredibly sorry. I am with you in your frustration, sadness and anger. I cannot imagine the devastation and heartache I would feel if the 49ers or Packers had signed Vick. To everyone else, thank you for your continued compassion and support for all of these dogs and making sure their story is never forgotten…
Stacy (aka Ginger’s mom)