Baltimore dog fatally stabbed in throat
A Baltimore County dog was stabbed in the throat earlier this week while in her own fenced yard, and died later that night.
Princess, a 3-year-old mixed breed, was stabbed sometime Wednesday, and was found bleeding by her family when they returned home.
David and Robin O’Steen rushed the dog to the vet and left her there overnight, hopeful that she was going to survive. The vet told the O’Steens that the wound appeared to be from a knife.
“I had planned to go at 2 o’clock yesterday and get her from the vet,” Robin O’Steen told WJZ in Baltimore. “And they called yesterday (Thursday) morning when I was at school to tell me that she had passed overnight.”
The O’Steens said Princess had been mistreated by passersby before, because she was prone to bark at strangers. The street they live on in Essex is near a pedestrian bridge, and gets a lot of foot traffic, they said. Once someone walked by and spit on her because she was barking.
Contrary to the WJZ report (above), Princess wasn’t really on the cover of “Dog Fancy” magazine. According to Robin O’Steen, it’s a fake cover she had made at Walgreen’s. Because the visiting news crew didn’t ask about it, Robin said she didn’t bother to point it out. Even though Princess wasn’t a true cover dog, Robin still considered her a star.
Baltimore County police are investigating the death of Princess, but with no witnesses having come forward, Robin O’Steen isn’t too hopeful that the dog’s assailant will be found.
“Without an eyewitness, the police are unable to do anything, which greatly saddens me,” she told ohmidog!
Princess, a Rottweiler and black Lab mix, was a rescue from Georgia and had a limp when her daughter adopted her.
“She was my sidekick/my shadow. If I went outside to sit on the porch, she had to go outside with me. Even if to just lay in the yard, she was always by my side to make sure I was OK. Even though she was 80 pounds, she would lay in my bed with me while I watched TV, worked on homework, etc. She spent almost every night at my feet, sleeping with me and my husband.”
“I had her for three years and she was THE best dog I ever had. She was not my property, she was my family. I feel so lost without her, and I am so angry that anyone could do this to a dog that never hurt anyone.”
Posted by jwoestendiek August 13th, 2011 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, baltimore, baltimore county, cover, david osteen, dog, dog fancy, dogs, essex, fatal, fenced yard, killed, murdered, perfect pooch, pets, princess, robin osteen, stabbed
Comments
Comment from Steve
Time August 13, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Never met Princess. But I wanted you to know that the rest of us are also outraged that anyone could do this to a dog.
Having also lost my best friend too early, I feel your pain.
Comment from Kyle
Time August 15, 2011 at 1:22 pm
I am very sorry of your loss. I can’t imagine what kind of person could do that. Whoever they are, I hope they suffer. I want them to catch this person! I hate to hear stories like these. Just know that your doggie loved you and knew you loved her and is looking down on you from heaven and hoping you won’t be too sad for too long. 
Condolences.
Comment from Sean Johnston
Time August 15, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Well, I don’t know anything about this situation. But, while a stabbing of a dog is cruel and never justified….the news story does state that you were away from home with the dog left outside. The news report also states that the dog tended to bark at strangers. The news report also states that you get LOTS of strangers passing by your house.
From the above statements – - I am drawing an inference that the dog was probably barking a lot while left outside. This seems like a fair assumption based on the available facts.
So – the obvious question – totally ignored by our crack news team – do you regularly leave the dog outside for long periods of time barking when you are not home? Is it possible that your neighbors do not take kindly to this? Do you have any neighbors that work nights and/or are homebound and may sleep during day? I know in MY neighborhood in Maryland, if my dog is outside and continuously barking, that this would NOT be looked on kindly by my neighbors. I certainly would have a word with MY neighbors if this was a regular occurrence because I have a home office. 
Now, it would take a LOT to make me attack an innocent creature. But, it would be INTERESTING to know if the neighbors had tried to discuss this with you nicely on one or more occasions. In no way would this EXCUSE their actions – - but it may explain better.
I’d certainly like to know if there’s a random teenager walking to a bus stop who decided to kill an animal for fun, or whether it’s a neighbor fed up.
Comment from Robin O.
Time August 13, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Thank you so much for posting the story about my dog, Princess. I am so lost without her and wish someone would come forward with the information to catch the person that did this. She was not my property, she was my FAMILY.