For Immediate Release
New Book Showcases What Became of Michael Vick's Dogfighting Compound
Author Tamira Thayne's "It Went to the Dogs: How Michael Vick's Dogfighting Compound Became a Haven for Rescue Pups"
Dec. 4, 2019 • Amissville VA
When chained-dog activist Tamira Thayne and her nonprofit Dogs Deserve Better purchased Michael Vick's dogfighting compound and set about transforming it to a rescue facility, she had no idea what she was walking into.
The decision would lead not only to a home for her nonprofit's rescue dogs, but also to the most turbulent four years of her life: she faced down allegations of racism, community harassment, poisoning, and, ultimately, false charges aimed at driving her and Dogs Deserve Better from the county.
The four black sheds where Michael Vick's dogs trained and ultimately lost their lives still stand today, serving as a stark and brutal reminder of the world of dogfighting.
What Thayne remembers about her first experience with the house and grounds of 1915 Moonlight Road was "a stillness, a loneliness, an oppressive feel; yet underneath there was a yearning for more—a wish to be seen, to be heard. Did the land, the souls who remained on the property seek redemption for the blood spilled in their name? Perhaps."
Thayne believed, and still believes today, that giving the property where dogs were the victim of man's highest cruelty back to the dogs is a nod toward the just recompense "Man's Best Friend" deserves.
The book highlights the steps taken by the group as they moved toward their goal of a haven for rescued chained dogs, including obstacles and happy ending rescue stories. It includes over 200 black and white photos and documents from the author's four years on the ground at the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs in Smithfield, Virginia.
While the story is almost unbelievable at times—truth is often stranger than fiction—Thayne presents court testimony and other evidence to support her tale.
Said staffer Julie Sayre, "It's not often that a job can change your entire life. I never considered myself an activist for animals as I was looking for employment. That all changed when I read about the job opening as an office manager for Dogs Deserve Better. I've never had a more meaningful, life-changing opportunity. The work I accomplished at DDB is truly something I will cherish for the rest of my life."
· Paperback: 324 pages
· Publisher: Who Chains You Books (November 30, 2019)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 1946044679
· ISBN-13: 978-1946044679
· Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946044679