ohmidog!

The first of the Michael Vick dogs taken in by Best Friends Animal Society — one of those that were thought to be too corrupted to ever make pets — has apparently found a home, and a soulmate.

Halle (that’s her on the right) was one of the 22 Vick dogs that went to Best Friends — sent there because they were considered the most hardcore, most traumatized, least likely to be rehabilitated. At Best Friends, the reasoning went, those who couldn’t be socialized would be able live out their lives at the animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. The less severe cases went to other rescue organizations, and many have gone on to get adopted as pets, and even become therapy dogs.

Halle, though, is the first of the Best Friends batch to make the transition.

While the adoption isn’t official yet — the so-called Vicktory dogs, under court requirements, must complete a six-month foster period — Halle has moved into a home with a new caretaker, identified as Traci, and Best Friends reports that it looks as if the arrangement might be a forever one.

Traci was one of the earliest dog-lovers to offer to take in one of the Vick dogs at Best Friends — she volunteered long before any of the dogs were anywhere near being ready for that, the organization says.

“If I could,” she says, “I would have given every one of them a good home.”

As Traci waited, a male pit bull named Tacoma came to Best Friends from a shelter. When Traci was offered Tacoma, she accepted. When the time came for several of the Vicktory dogs to get ready for homes, Traci still wanted to be considered.

She chose Halle, a dog Best Friends says used to be afraid of her own shadow. “When Halle first came to Best Friends, she was terrified of everything, everywhere. The whole world was one big threat. With all the help and constant TLC from her caregivers and friends, however, she’s come a long way and overcome so many fears.”

Halle still has “confidence issues,” Best Friends said, but Tacoma and Traci are helping to resolve them.

When the two dogs met, ”they romped and played together and never had a moment’s trouble. In fact, they snuggled side by side on the bed with Traci during the initial sleepover,” Best Friends said. Back at Traci’s home, Halle follows Tacoma around every minute.

Best Friends expects more of its Vick dogs to follow in Halle’s footsteps. Aside from Lucas, the one Vick dog the court ordered to remain at Best Friends, the organization is hoping all the others will leave the sanctuary and live out their lives in family homes.