My Christmas wish

If I could have any wish today, it would be to have enough funding to buy and revamp Michael Vick's Surry, Virginia, estate into an animal refuge. I could see dogs running free on the available 15 acres, and cats lounging in the outbuildings that had been used for the pure evil of dogfighting. I'd have an area for horses, there would be a large aviary, and small animals of all kinds would have a place to live their lives fully. Where fear, cruelty, and inhumanity abounded, the property would be transformed into a safe, loving, protective harbor where all pets without homes would be welcome. This would be their home, as long as they needed it, until a new one became available.

The large house could be used for training, classes, and education. There would be programs available that would attract people from all over to visit, help, share, and learn in all areas of pet welfare and care. I could see a camp for at-risk kids, who could learn first hand that caring for a pet is a positive step forward to a healthier life. There could be seminars and workshops on various careers within the pet industry, and maybe even a museum that would become a must-see vacation spot.

While there are many of us who respect and care for our pets, there are still many others who continue to abuse them in the most barbaric ways. The house's legacy would be a reminder of this sad fact, however the goal would be to measure over time how a former torture chamber for innocent dogs is transformed into a worldwide humanitarian effort that makes a better world for all the animals we share our lives with.

That is my Christmas wish.