Melvin Felix After the shooting, this cop car with a kennel in the trunk likely hauled the wounded pit bull to a veterinarian.The pit bull that took a bullet in the middle of 14th Street last week continues her remarkable recovery. “She is showing more signs of improvement,” wrote a spokesman for Animal Care and Control. “Her swelling has gone down and she is more alert.”
Meanwhile, the debate continues on The Local’s Facebook page regarding whether the shooting was justified. Graphic video of the incident shows that the dog, named Star, did indeed lunge at the police officer who shot her. But most commenters believe that deadly force was unnecessary. “Star was doing what she was suppose to do,” wrote one reader. “If you watch the video in entirely you see for 9 min they did not even attend to her owner still on the ground. This was not justified.”
“That cop will remember this for the rest of his life and if he owns dogs at home I hope he doesn’t do this to his own pets,” wrote another. “I smell a huge lawsuit against that cop and the N.Y.P.D. for not helping Star and his owner.”
Video of the aftermath of the shooting. Larissa Udovik, who was nearly bitten, can be seen berating the police.
For once, the police and crusties can agree on something. The pit bull shot yesterday on 14th Street in front of dozens of horrified onlookers had it coming.
Brandon Verna, a homeless man acquainted with the owner of the dog, identified by police as Lech Stankiewicz, said that the pit bull has a reputation for being overly protective of her master.
“Most of us figured out that when he’s passed out, whether he’s overdosing or not, leave him alone,” Mr. Verna said. “If he’s going to die, call an ambulance and have them deal with it because no one wants to get bitten.” Read more…
A witness showed us a video he took of the shooting’s aftermath.
Melvin Felix Officers loaded a dog kennel into the trunk of a
police car as friends of the
owner of the dead pitbull looked on.A police officer shot a pitbull that was apparently trying to defend its passed-out owner on 14th Street at around 4:15 p.m., horrifying passersby who watched the wounded mutt suffer a slow death.
A man who identified himself as Steve-o, who was lingering at the scene near Second Avenue said he was a friend of the passed-out man, known as Pollock. The dog, according to Steve-o, was named Star.
Another witness, Roland Bueler, said the dog was protecting his master as a police officer tried unsuccessfully to rouse him while an ambulance awaited. “People who live in the neighborhood say he’s along here all the time,” Mr. Bueler said of Pollock. “He had a dog that was, I think, a pitbull mix. And the dog was defending the guy so no one could approach him.” Read more…
Taking a cue from The Local Fort Greene’s Dog of the Day, we’re launching a new column featuring canine confessions from the dog run and beyond. Today: Jubilee and friends.
Jubilee, photographed by her owner Alberto Reyes.Hi, I’m Jubilee. Sometimes my human friends call me “Little Boss” because I like being in charge. I’m 10 pounds, 11 months, and a terrier mix. Being a mix – a little bit of Yorkie and a little bit of Schnauzer – makes me feel like a real New Yorker. Every morning my mom and I walk to the dog run at Tompkins Square Park where I meet up with my friends.
The park has two runs. The small dog area is the best because of the raised wood platform and a large shady tree. While we dogs play, the humans also get to know each other – so well sometimes that they plan trips together and take us along! My best girlfriend Rosie, a hybrid Peagle (half Beagle and half Pekingese) and her two-legged companion Lexa recently took a trip with the group to Larchmont dog beach, meaning we got to go swimming! Read more…
