This whole thing started last week, when Vick tweeted a photo of his daughter doing homework. Hey, what's that on the table—a box of Milk-Bones? Vick danced around the question when asked about it at practice yesterday, saying he only wanted to talk about football. Maybe someone told him that people aren't going to stop asking about the dog thing, or maybe he realized that talking about football means talking about fumbling, but today he broke his silence.

From a statement released by Vick's publicist:

"I understand the strong emotions by some people about our family's decision to care for a pet. As a father, it is important to make sure my children develop a healthy relationship with animals. I want to ensure that my children establish a loving bond and treat all of God's creatures with kindness and respect. Our pet is well cared for and loved as a member of our family. This is an opportunity to break the cycle. To that end, I will continue to honor my commitment to animal welfare and be an instrument of positive change."


The word "dog," you'll notice, was never used. But Vick has been vocal in the past about his desire to own a dog again (he told Piers Morgan it wouldn't be a pit bull), so we can only assume. And maybe that's good! Dog ownership is good for your health, good for your mental well-being, and good for learning to be a functioning member of society.

That said, if you have any photos of Vick's dog, Vick taking his dog for a walk, Vick giving his dog a bath, Vick drowning his dog, Vick electrocuting his dog, Vick chaining his dog to a rape stand, Vick grabbing his dog by the hind legs and smashing its skull on a concrete floor, or anything like that—drop us a line.