The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption

When I first saw this book, I immediately thought "here we go, someone finally cashing-in on the Michael Vick dog fighting case" ... I was completely wrong. Contrary, to my original thoughts, Jim Gorant's excellent book tells us less about Michael Vick and focuses exclusively on the lives of those that didn't make the headlines ... the dogs themselves. THE LOST DOGS is an inspiring and informative book that does not simply document the tale of these "doomed" creatures, but also does a great deal to dispel the media-generated maligning of pit bulls. For anyone who wants to know more about what effect dog fighting has on the animals, this is the book to read.THE LOST DOGS is divided into three simple chapters: Rescue, Reclamation and Redemption. The Rescue chapter gives the background leading-up to the discovery of Bad Newz Kennels and introduces the individuals responsible for working the case against Vick and his pals. We are also introduced to approximately 50 dogs that remained at Bad Newz, as well as the elaborate nature of Vick's dog fighting enterprise. Be forewarned, however, as the first chapter is somewhat difficult to read. Yes, most people are familiar with Michael Vick dog fighting case from the news, but most of the reporting glossed over the brutal details of the case. In a necessary step to illustrate the ominous scope of the rescue operation, Gorant provides those anguishing details that most will find shockingly disturbing and may even generate extreme anger in others. The section that gives a dog's-view perspective of what life was like on one tragic day at the Bad Newz Kennel is powerful enough to alter almost any negative opinion of pit bulls being the uncontrollable, bloodthirsty monster reputation they've been handed over the years. I actually put the book down for a day or two after reading this particular section because it was so disturbing. Fortunately, I resumed reading and discovered that these first few sections effectively set the tone for the remainder of the book and serve as a measuring- point when it appears that progress to save these dogs has stalled. With this chapter, Gorant effectively rips the reader's heart out detailing the misery of these animals' plight but balances the emotion by offering a sliver of hope that the rescued dogs wouldn't face immediate euthanasia.The second and third chapters create a shift as the focus goes from the criminal aspect of the case to the dogs themselves, in addition to the individuals attempting to save them from a court-ordered demise. The emotional rollercoaster also shifts from a sliver of hope to dogged determination (pun intended) as Gorant isn't satisfied with merely introducing the dogs, he succeeds in creating individual bonds between the reader and each dog. Slowly, the façade of "fight dog" dissipates as the pitiful, timid and erratic behavior displayed by most dogs are described, often in direct contrast to the monstrous image that often accompanies pit bulls, let alone fighting pit bulls. Additionally, Gorant injects background on the pit bull breed, the historical hysteria of a variety of (once notorious) dog breeds (including Bloodhounds), as well as information on dog fighting itself. It was at this point where I, myself, gave-in and realized these dogs as being much more than lost causes and I began hoping all of them could be saved. However, there always seemed to be insidious and constant reminders strategically placed throughout the book reinforcing the extremely low success-rate of rehabilitating fight dogs ... an ever-present boot on the reader's neck. This is when the book becomes hard to put down as it creates an itching desire in the reader to seek the outcome ... for each dog. Adding to this effect are several pages of photos that do so much to enhance the book ... they really meant nothing at first glance, but as I continued reading about each dog's journey, I couldn't stop flipping back to the pictures to reinforce my memory of the faces that accompanied the often crazy names: Jonny Justice (formerly Jonny Rotten), Leo, Little Red Hair, Sweet Jasmine and others. My only frustration is that I wished the book had a photo of each of the dogs and not merely a select few.The end of the book comes as a satisfying reward; as if all the exhausting hard work had finally paid off. There is also an accompanying feeling of justice, appreciation and hope as, more often than not, the journey for each of the Bad Newz pit bulls is positive. Included in the final chapter is a much-appreciated "where are they now?" section that updates the lives of the dogs and the individuals who prosecuted the case, rescued and rehabilitated the dogs.THE LOST DOGS is a wonderfully inspiring story and Jim Gorant displays such skill in his ability to take the reader from the brink of despair to such rousing joy. THE LOST DOGS is an absorbing, fast and engaging read; a captivating David v Goliath/ struggle against overwhelming odds tale. Even more appreciated, however, is Gorant's effort not to retry Michael Vick and his cohorts. Yes, the storyline of the case against Vick and its eventual outcome course through the entire book, but only as a backdrop, the main characters in this book are the dogs and the volunteers that worked with them. THE LOST DOGS is a must-read for the dog-lover or anyone who enjoys a book that provides a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Lastly, if there is any hope in debunking the myth of the pit bull as being nothing but a killing machine, it may just start with this book.

...as are the many, many people who worked so diligently to save these dogs, and give them a shot at life. Every one of them is remarkable, and we pit-lovers owe them all a debt of gratitude.When I first learned of publication of Gorant's book, I knew two things: that it was a must-read, and that it would be very difficult to do so. I was right on both counts, but all that came with an unexpected blessing. The story is so well-told and so complete, that it is uplifting and satisfying no matter what the reason you feel called to read it.The beginning of the book is rough -- during the first 90 pages or so, I developed a routine of reading, putting down my Kindle and crying, composing myself and taking another run at it. I still don't know if it was made easier or more difficult by the presence of my own two pit bull rescues. Looking at my male APBT/AB mix, 90 pounds of rippling muscle and love, was hard. But even more difficult was imagining my AmStaff, a dog who could have *been "the little red dog," put in a position where she couldn't even be forced to overcome her innate gentleness in order to defend her own life.The reading gets decidedly easier as the book progresses. I'm still impressed with the way Gorant was able to describe graphically some of what the dogs endured without edging into the lurid. He walked a fine line between adequately imparting information and using the violence to attract more readers, and he succeeded admirably. The story will take you from the last days in that house of horrors all the way through updates on the surviving dogs. Not everything's rosy -- there are some terribly sad parts throughout the book, but they are shared in order to advance the tale, not to titillate the audience. His research is complete, and even those of us who believe we know a lot about pits can learn something.If I had to offer a criticism, it would be that he repeatedly identifies "pit bull" as a breed, rather than as a term applied to a large group of dogs with similar attributes, appearance and tendencies. I can only assume it was done in order for the vast majority of people with pre-conceived ideas about pitties to identify with the animals in question, and in no way detracts from the tale he tells. If I could've given it ten stars, I would have.As for the negative reviews, I think they must be taken with a grain of salt. It is, sometimes, a gruesome story, but ignorance of the facts is unlikely to make the dogfighting travesty go away any quicker. It's more difficult to address the complaint that this is somehow a "racist" diatribe; I suppose it's easier to make yourself believe *that than it is to recognize that someone in your community did a very, very bad thing, and that it's seemed to have very little effect on him. One must seek comfort where they can, however, and I suppose that's as good an explanation as any other.Read the book, hug your pets, and share the story with anyone that will listen. I look at this book as the first salvo in the war to end this kind of abuse forever.

I adopted Deuce in Oct 2019 - he is a bully and I was afraid of him! I believed the pitbull stigma, but I couldn't let him go to a shelter because I thought he may get 'humanely euthanized'. So I adopted him. Before Deuce, people would say ‘pitbulls are a menace to society’ and I would stay silent. I felt it was wrong, but I was sure that so many bans out there must have some truth in it. I was a stupid idiot. This book proves to me, and it should do the same to others, that pitbulls are just like any other dog and there is NO TRUTH in pitbull bans. They are ineffective and only support the narrative that dogfighting people want you to believe. I only hope this book, and others like it, shed more light on the goodness and love that should be synonymous with the word 'pitbull'.

Basado en una historia real muy conmovedora. Consigue atraparte y, a partes iguales, desgarrarte y abrazarte el alma. Si tienes perro o simplemente te gustan los animales es una lectura muy recomendable. Además, entenderás porque los PitBull son una de las mejores razas

Dieses Buch ist ein muss für Hundefreunde, aber für jeden anderen auch interessant, ergreifend, traurig, schwer zu ertragen und trotzdem optimistisch und positiv. Denn wenigstens einige der von Hundekämpfern missbrauchten und misshandelten Hunde konnten gerettet und resozialisiert werden. Einige sind nun Familienhunde und sogar ausgebildete Therapiehund :-) Der Fall war in USA ein Skandal, weil der bekannte Football-Star Michael Vick involviert war. Unbedingt lesen !

I'm an animal lover who quite simply doesn't understand how some people can be so barbaric and disrespectful to any other living creature, so naturally I didn't want to read this book but at the same time I did, I was eager to learn of their rescue. I'm so glad I did read it. Although this book is full of heartache (yes, you're going to cry) it contains a wonderful restoring faith that there are some truly fantastic people out there. It's inspiring to read about the many people who fought tirelessly to giving the victims of Michael Vick a voice, the respect they deserve, and finally somewhere safe to live.

Brilliant book, a story well worth telling. Easy to read. A must if you are a dog lover.Shows a very sad side to human nature and how forgiving animals can be. Will give those dog owners that may be taken in by the media take on the Pit bull/ Staffordshire breed an Insite into the true nature of these dogs and what wonderful companions/family pets they can make!