The dog days of Michael Vick

According to a report from the NFL, Michael Vick has confirmed that his family does have a canine companion in their midst.

Just 5 years ago, Vick's image was tarnished by a scandal involving his financing and participation in a dogfighting operation, Bad Newz Kennels.

Vick was released from the Atlanta Falcons, suspended indefinitely from the NFL and served time in prison.

When he was reinstated to the NFL and signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, and even now, several seasons later, his ability to return to football and his involvement with the Humane Society of the United States/remorse for having participated in such cruelty has been a subject of hot debate.

So, it comes as no surprise to me that a tweet Vick sent out of his family became the topic of intense scrutiny when a box of dog biscuits was spotted in the background. Vick's supporters are passionate, but those who feel he should never be forgiven are even more so.

According the NFL, Vick evaded the question of his dog ownership for a short time before admitting that he does indeed have a dog and he "wants to break the cycle of cruelty".

The question is, is Vick being sincere in his desire to move forward in a positive way and should he be allowed to have a dog in his life again after admitting to such acts of cruelty? Many people convicted of lesser acts of animal cruelty are banned from pet ownership for a period of time, sometimes a lifetime.

This question is sure to become a hotly debated one as word of this spreads through Facebook and Twitter.

And it's a topic of enough interest for the NFL to put the short news brief on the front page.