An animal rights organization is in talks with Michael Vick to appear in a public service announcement for them, now that the former Atlanta Falcon's quarterback has completed a class offered by the group, sources told FOX News Wednesday.
According to a press release posted on the Web site for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and confirmed by the source, Vick, who pleaded guilty last month to a federal dogfighting charge, voluntarily took a PETA course in "respect for animals."
Vick told PETA he was interested in taking the animal rights course to show kids that education was the path to bettering themselves, the source said. Vick received a certificate for completing the course.
Click here to read the federal Vick indictment (FindLaw).
Click here to read Vick's federal guilty plea (FindLaw).
According to PETA, Vick met with the organization's president, Ingrid Newkirk, at PETA's headquarters in Norfolk, Va. The course Vick reportedly took was "Developing Empathy for Animals," a one-day seminar. PETA has made the course available online.
Newkirk confirmed the group was in discussions with Vick to appear in a PETA public service announcement, but said it would happen only if the message was a strong one.
"If Vick agrees to say: 'Look at me, look how far I've fallen after being a star.' Then we'd be glad to do the announcement," Newkirk said.
Prosecutors in Virginia announced Tuesday that Vick and three co-defendants will stand trial in November for state charges related to the dogfighting ring they are accused of operating.
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