Tag: collide nyc
Star recovering; owner yet to reclaim her
Dog lovers have come to the aid of Star, the pit bull shot in the head by police in New York as she tried to protect her fallen owner.
And much more quickly than police seemed to go to the aid of anybody when the incident — all captured on video – transpired in the East Village two weeks ago.
An Animal Care and Control spokesman told the New York Daily News Saturday that Star is quickly recovering from the gunshot, and that her medical bills — about $10,000 worth so far — have been paid for with donations to a special fund set up for the wounded dog.
Star was shot when she lunged at a police officer approaching her owner, said to be a homeless man with epilepsy, as he lay on the sidewalk in the throes of a seizure.
For several long minutes thereafter, as more police arrived, none appeared to go the aid of either the dog, or her owner, Lech Stankiewicz.
By Friday, Stankiewicz had not reclaimed Star, giving animal control legal ownership. The agency expects to hand custody over to the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals when Star has fully recovered.
The Daily News reported last week that the shooting was not the first encounter Star had with police.
On June 19, according to the report, Star attacked a 22-year-old friend of Stankiewicz when she tried to prevent the dog from lunging at a police officer. The woman was treated for bite wounds to her arms and chest.
Star was seized by authorities after that, but a rescue organization called CollideNYC helped reunite dog and owner two weeks later.
Posted by jwoestendiek August 27th, 2012 under Muttsblog.
Tags: alliance for animals, animal, animal control, bills, collide nyc, condition, dogs, donations, epilepsy, homeless, Lech Stankiewicz, new york, new york city, nyc, owner, pets, pit bull, pit bulls, pitbull, pitbulls, police, recovering, recovery, seizure, shoot, shooting, star, veterinary
Comments: 2