Exclusive Interview With Former Fighting Dog

As we learn more of the Michael Vick indictments, disturbing details about dog fighting will be in the media. We at The Sporting Orange have secured an interview with Bella Maurino, a Yellow Labrador who had a violent streak as a puppy. She explains how she avoided the life that Vick’s dogs apparently encountered. -MLM

TheSportingOrange.com: Bella, thank you for joining us.
Bella Maurino: Thanks for having me.
TSO: As a young puppy, you often would crawl on people who were on the floor and jump up to greet people. Why?
Bella: Well, part of it was my way to say hello to people. I have no arms and I can’t speak, so it’s hard for me to say hello. As for crawling on people, I like wrestling and I’m an athlete in the peak of my life so I need to play.

TSO: Tell us about dog fighting.
Bella: Well, dogs don’t fight. We play. People like Vick abused his dogs so much that they had to fight. The dogs that Vick killed probably just wanted to play. Regular dogs will get older and play nice. These dogs would do that and get electrocuted.
TSO: But when you play, you get rough.
Bella: Like I said, I’m in peak physical condition. I need to stay active. If you threw me a tennis ball once in a while, I wouldn’t be trying to tackle you.
TSO: I play with you. And whose bed do you sleep on?
Bella: Don’t flatter yourself. That bed has the fuzzy blanket on it. That's why I sleep there. Anyway, I had three brothers in my litter. I had to be tough, and that’s how I learned how to wrestle.
TSO: Last thing. What should be Vick’s punishment?
Bella: Well, as a dog, I don’t know too much about the difference between types of prisons. Hopefully he goes to a federal ‘pound me in the ass’ prison.
TSO: Thanks Bella.
Bella: My pleasure. So, are you going to give me that rawhide bone now?