Michael Vick admits to owning a dog

Michael Vick released a statement Thursday confirming that he does, in fact, own a dog. The statement comes after Vick tweeted a picture of his kitchen table last week in which a box of dog treats could be seen. The tweet was deleted after a few minutes, and the photo was then tweeted again with the box of dog treats cropped out of the picture. Vick's statement on owning a dog.

"I understand the strong emotions by some people about our family’s decision to care for a pet. As a father, it is important to make sure my children develop a healthy relationship with animals. I want to ensure that my children establish a loving bond and treat all of God’s creatures with kindness and respect. Our pet is well cared for and loved as a member of our family. This is an opportunity to break the cycle. To that end, I will continue to honor my commitment to animal welfare and be an instrument of positive change."

Vick served 19 months in prison for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring, followed by two months of home confinement. He remained on probation until July 2012, and one of the terms of that probation was that he could not own a dog. Those conditions no longer apply now that Vick has completed his probation.

Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation's Eagles blog, shared some thoughts about Vick owning a dog on Thursday.

Vick and the Eagles will next be in action on Sunday, when they face the Detroit Lions in Philadelphia. The game will start at 1 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX.