Michael Vick atoned for his public mistreatment of animals Tuesday by lobbying for pet safety in Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ backup quarterback was in Harrisburg, the state capital, to advocate for PA House Bill 1516, which would make leaving a cat or dog unattended in a hot car a summary offense.
It also would protect first responders from any liability involving property damage from rescuing pets in those situations.
“I know that I’m an unlikely advocate,” a Vick representative said, according to ESPN. “I was part of the problem. Now, my perspective can help reach people that activists can’t reach. I can help others become agents of change.”
One of Vick’s hosts in Harrisburg, state Rep. Jake Wheatley, praised his efforts to become an ally of Pennsylvania’s pets.
“This is another example of a person who has faced some adversity, paid his debt to society and now wants to use that experience to provide some guidance for others so they don’t have to make similar mistakes,” Wheatley said, according to CBS Pittsburgh. “I take my hat off to him.”
In 2007, Vick pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges pertaining to his part in a dogfighting ring and served almost two years in prison. Since earning back his freedom, he has rejoined the NFL and become a prolific animals rights advocate.
He publicly supported the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2014, which made attending any sort of animal-fighting event a federal crime.
The Steelers signed Vick to a one-year contract in August, a decision that was met with much protest from local animal-lovers, though surprisingly not PETA.
Vick told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac in August that he is just trying to “make things right” regarding his past transgressions.
“The best thing to do was make amends for what I did,” he said. “I can’t take it back. The only thing I can do is influence the masses of kids from going down the same road I went down. That’s why I work with the Humane Society and affecting a lot of kids’ lives and saving a lot of animals. We’ve had a lot of progress. We’ve been able to change some laws and do some great things that I’m very proud of. I never thought I’d be doing that.”
