THE LOST DOGS - the story of Michael Vick's Pit Bulls hits shelves next month

Press release from the ASPCA newsletter.

The ASPCA.com is excited to announce the upcoming release of The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Sports Illustrated senior editor Jim Gorant (Gotham Books: September 2010; $26.00). The book covers the Vick case from beginning to end, explaining how Vick and his cohorts were caught, detailing the abysmal treatment of the animals and examining the difficult path to rehabilitation—and the ultimate triumph—of dozens of abused dogs.

Luckily, you won’t have to wait until September to learn more about The Lost Dogs—Parade magazine, which is bundled with the Sunday editions of more than 500 newspapers nationwide, is running a feature article on the book and the lives of the rescued dogs this weekend. Look for the article on Sunday, or visit Parade’s website for a sneak peek today.

During the Michael Vick investigation, the ASPCA’s forensic veterinary team, led by Dr. Melinda Merck, helped produce the evidence that led to guilty pleas. The ASPCA’s Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, Executive Vice President, and Dr. Randy Lockwood, ASPCA Senior Vice President, Forensic Sciences and Anti-Cruelty Projects, led a team of certified applied animal behaviorists in behavior evaluations of nearly 50 rescued dogs; as a result, all but one were spared euthanasia. This was an unprecedented outcome for seized fighting dogs at the time. Drs. Merck and Zawistowski are quoted extensively in Gorant’s new book.

The Lost Dogs can be preordered now on Amazon.com and will soon be available for purchase from the ASPCA Online Store. To learn more about the ASPCA’s involvement in the 2007 Michael Vick dog fighting case, visit the Fight Cruelty section.