Winning Bid Placed by Comedian and Writer/Producer Carol Leifer
The online auction ended today for what are believed to be Michael Vick's handwritten notes from his public apology on the day he pleaded guilty to dogfighting, raising $10,200 for The Humane Society of the United States, specifically for its Animal Cruelty Reward and Response Fund.
Carol Leifer, television writer and co-executive producer on the CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement, placed the winning bid.
"We are already proud members of the Humane Society of the United States. And when we saw that ALL the proceeds of this note were going to you guys, we jumped on it," said Leifer. "Michael Vick ironically never made the most important apology - the one to the animals themselves. 'Dogs have suffered' is the only talking point he left out on that note. So this note is for our 18-month old son, Bruno. For him to keep over the years and to show him that the mark of a man is not what you achieve as a sports star, but the kindness and compassion that lives in your heart."
"With this generous gift, Carol has given us even more resources to fight the scourge of animal fighting," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "When I saw those three words, 'Dogs have suffered,' I realized that this sports memorabilia could bring us a little closer to ending that suffering. We will put every cent of this $10,200 towards antidogfighting efforts."
An HSUS employee discovered the notes when he went to retrieve a microphone from the podium at the end of Vick's press conference after pleading guilty for dogfighting. Vick's attorneys have said that he did not pen those notes, but declined to elaborate on whether an attorney or an advisor wrote them for Vick.
The paper had a series of bullet points, numbered, from #1 to #6.
1. Apologize for what Ive done, 2. Apologize to commissioner, A.B. [Arthur Blank], [Falcons head coach Bobby] Petrino, ashamed, disappointed, 3. Young kids, I acted immature, 4. Forgiveness and understanding, 5. Take full responsibility for my actions and 6. We all make mistakes. Ive made mistakes.
At the bottom of the piece of paper were the final three words that appear to have been added as an afterthought. Dogs have suffered. At the conference that was to serve as a public apology for his role in the criminal dogfighting enterprise, Vick read through his talking points, but never mentioned the victims of his misdeeds to the assembled media throng.
The HSUS had been considering what to do with the note, perhaps saving it as a historical artifact or as a powerful reminder of where the dead-end road of animal fighting can lead. The decision to auction the note was inspired by a woman who put her Michael Vick football cards, chewed by her two dogs, on eBay. The collection of 22 cards sold for $7,400, and benefited local Missouri humane societies.
