NEWS 9er Reports from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

By Cheryl Melton for News9.com

ANGEL CANYON, Utah -- This afternoon was one of the biggest highlights of my trip to Best Friends!

I was able to meet Lucas, (one of Michael Vick's former fighting dogs and considered to be one of his grand champions), and his Best Friends Dog Trainer, Ann Allums.

In order to meet Lucas, I had to abide by one important rule: I was not allowed to touch Lucas.

This is due to the court order placed on Best Friends and Best Friends is very conscientious of their responsibilities.

So, as much as I wanted to give this gorgeous dog a hug, it was not going to happen. Lucas wanted to greet me and climb in my lap for some petting too, but we were going to have to live with just grinning at each other!

As I watched him wiggle from head to toe, smiling from ear to ear, I observed the many battle scars on his beautiful face and it was hard to understand or comprehend the life he must have lived before he was rescued and brought to Best Friends.

Lucas is not available for adoption due to the court order stating he is considered to be a dangerous dog.

He is also red collared, a system that Best Friends has established to note "staff only" dogs, which means volunteers are not allowed to interact with those dogs. But, he is much loved by the staff at Best Friends and everyone spends a great deal of time with Lucas not just playing and socializing but hand feeding him!

Yes, he is a big baby that loves to lick the food right off your palms. He is provided with lots of love and lots of toys too!

He especially loves stuffed toys and happily shreds each one until all the stuffing is sprinkled around the run like snow!

Dr. Debra Nicholson is a Veterinarian, specializing in exotic birds, at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Dr. Deb, as she is called at Best Friends, is from Norman Oklahoma! I was very lucky that she was able to take time out of her extremely busy clinic schedule today, to give an interview!

Dr. Deb and I met last week over the Internet when she contacted me looking for help with a stray dog her parents had found in Norman.

My group, Forever Friends Humane Society, was able to find a foster home for the stray dog, now named Nick, but my first reaction was that I could not believe she was for real! A vet at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary was asking my little group for help?

Yep, it was true and when I told her I was coming out to visit Best Friends, we made plans to meet.

It was great finding an Okie making a difference in one of the largest and most famous No-Kill Animal Sanctuaries in the world.

Dr. Jana is also working in the clinic. Dr. Jana is an OSU Vet student working in the clinic for her externship.

More on News9.com:

-Watch an interview with Ann, a dog trainer at the clinic. 

-Meet Lucas, formerly owned by Michael Vick, but now living at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

-Watch an interview with Dr. Deb.

-Meet Charlie, a cockatoo staying at the clinic who wears a sweater everyday.

-Dr. Deb talks about why she loves her job so much.

-Watch the interview with Dr. Jana.

-NEWS 9er Visits Best Friends Animal Sanctuary