News Article Police shoot dog defending it's owner. [Poll]

This is a hard for me share. NYC police shot a "Pit Bull" like dog in the streets of East Village 2 days ago. The dog is critically wounded and can be heard screaming in pain and can be seen twisting in pain and bleeding in the street. The story line is that the dog made an aggressive advance at the police and that the officer felt threatened. Sound familiar? The video does in fact show that the dog did make aggressive advances toward the officer. My question for the community is, could non lethal intervention have been used? Was it really necessary to shoot the dog? If the argument is that it would have taken precious minutes to find an alternative to lethal force so that the owner that was having a seizure on the sidewalk could be attended to, then why is it that NOT ONE PERSON approaches the owner who appears motionless in the minutes after the shooting?

I have posted pictures and a video of the incident. Tell me what you think.

Go here for video:

VIDEO: Graphic footage shows cop shooting charging pit bull in Manhattan - NY Daily News

WARNING: Graphic depiction of animal suffering.

The dog was clearly trying to protect the guy passed out on the street. With that said, I think there could of been a better approach. Alot of cops shoot first and ask questions later. IF they would of been educated with regard to dogs, they would of clearly saw that the dog was protecting the guy and they might of taken another approach. I wonder if this dog was not a pit bull, if they would of shot it.

Was the owner having a seizure or is the owner homeless?

Me either and I think that's where the problem lies. These cops should be made to attend classes with regard to animal behavior.

I'm putting this video on FB and am getting some comments. One person met this guy and his dog. Fed them lunch on occasion. The dog never was aggressive. The dog has since died.

RIP.....run free...

^^^ THIS

How many times do police service dogs bite "suspects" in apprehensions? Do any of those suspects have the right to deadly force self defense? That cop is a Pansie.

"Star" has died? This is the only thing I can find on her condition and it was posted on AC&C NYC Facebook page:

"Star’s condition is serious, but we can now report that she is showing slight improvements. Please understand that due to legal and privacy issues, at this time we’re not at liberty to disclose any further information about her case."

*** UPDATE ***

This update comes from the Lexus Project. The Lexus project is a legal advocacy law firm that specializes in animal cases. It was founded in 2009. They provide legal defense on a case by case basis for dogs they believe are improperly or unfairly facing dangerous dog designations or euthanasia. Here is the news release dated 8/19/12:

“We know that so many of you are concerned, worried and outraged about Star. This is an update and although I know you want more but please respect this is all we are permitted to say at this time. Star is very much alive and receiving medical care and holding her own. We will update as soon as we are permitted to. Thank you for your support and understanding.”

It seems that "Star" is still alive but aside from that, not much else is being said. Perhaps NYPD and the city are circling the wagons in anticipation of legal action.

I'm glad this dog is still alive!!

*** UPDATE ***

The following update is from Animal Care & Control of NYC as posted on 8/20/12:

"Star continues to show signs of improvement. The swelling from her injuries has gone down and she is more alert.

As a reminder, please understand that due to legal and privacy issues, at this time we’re not at liberty to disclose any further information about her case."

*** UPDATE ***

I am not convinced that Star is alive.

Earlier today New York City Animal Care & Control posted on their Facebook page that Star is well, is recovering and will be offered for adoption when she is ready. The problem here is that the pictures posted by NYC AC&C are not consistent with pictures of the dog that was filmed in the incident where she was shot by police. When I first saw the pictures, I really wanted that dog to be Star. I wanted her to be comfortable and resting peacefully as the dog in the picture appears to be. The problem for me is that well, Star was shot in the head. The dog in the picture does appear to have some swelling in the right eye socket but does not have any other head trauma. The intake form from NYC AC&C stated in graphic terms the trauma to Star's head. Funny that today, I cannot find a single instance of that intake form on the internet. Star bled out quite a bit right there on the street. This is obvious to anyone watching the video of the event. I think it would have taken immediate intervention and a whole lot of skill to save that dog. No one intervened in the minutes after she was shot and I'm not convinced that anyone at NYC AC&C has the skill set required to save her life let alone gave a rats ass about her once she arrived.

The dog shown in the picture below does resemble Star in some ways. The dog shown below does have similar markings and even has some distinguishing marks in the same place that Star has. The brown spots on the top of the neck toward the base of the skull is what first led me to believe she really was alive and that she had beaten the odds and the desire of one of New York's "finest" in blue to end her life. What the dog in the picture does not appear to have is the same brown right side shoulder area that Star has. So why the deception? If the dog in the picture is not Star, why present her as such? NYC AC&C was not to blame for what happened to Star. Star arrived already dead, dying or died shortly after her arrival. I think I have the answer.

NYC AC&C saw the opportunity to capitalize. They thought that they could repeat the donation success of Patrick the starved Pit Bull. They thought that by stringing along the public, they could make money. This is my belief. This is my opinion based on actions observed. I have no proof of anything. I am relying on my intuition and analysis of transpired events in order to make a logical conclusion. In every single update that NYC AC&C has posted, they have not failed to mention how much it has cost to treat "Star" and how anyone can donate to help the plight of all animals in their care.

I think Star is dead.

In the news article posted below, it appears that an employee of NYC AC&C in an interview confirms my suspicions. If she is not dead, then why stonewall requests by neutral third parties and animal rescue organizations to see her? Why not release pictures that can be compared to known features on the real "Star"? Something stinks here.

If I'm wrong, I celebrate Star's life and her Irish luck. I will post this to the NYC AC&C Facebook page and then make a public apology to NYC AC&C. If I'm right, this is a blatant fraud on everyone that is an animal lover and supporter and NYC AC&C should be held legally accountable.

NYC Animal Care and Control release photos claiming to be Star the dog

• By: Penny Tilton

6 photosView the full slideshow »

In what can only be called "a bold move" on NYC Animal Care and Control’s (ACC) part; released photos of a dog today they claim to be of Star, the dog shot in the head last week by an NYPD officer.

The pictures that were released are of a dog that has no head trauma, and the markings on the dog clearly do not match the marking of Star the dog that was shot.

View slideshow: The markings of Star the dog
Concerned citizens that have been following Star’s story are now questioning the ACC’s motives in releasing photos of a dog that is clearly not of Star.

A picture taken of Star before she was shot
Photo credit:
Gothamist
Amanda Lewis one of the concerned citizens traveled to New York yesterday to get some answers, and spoke with an animal shelter employee that confirmed the public’s suspicions surrounding the Star case.

In this exclusive and confirmed Examiner interview, Lewis stated, “The employee wishes to remain anonymous because he will lose his job. He stated Star was dead, that she died shortly after being brought into ACC. Star had lost a lot of blood and was left alone and unattended, while the ACC where deciding what to do for her care. He went on to state, everything else is one giant smoke screen, and the ACC are looking for a dog similar to Star.”

According to Web MD this is what they write about head trauma in a dog. “Signs of cerebral edema can appear at any time during the first 24 hours after a blow to the head. The most important thing to observe is the dog’s level of consciousness. Cerebral edema is treated with intravenous corticosteroids, oxygen, and diuretics such as mannitol or furosemide. Seizures are controlled with an intravenous or oral anticonvulsant such as diazepam (Valium).”

Web MD went on to write, “Open skull fractures require surgical cleansing and removal of devitalized bone. Depressed bone fragments may need to be elevated to relieve pressure on the brain. Antibiotics are often necessary with open fractures to prevent infection.”

In the picture released today by the ACC, the dog had no oxygen on it, no I.V.’s. and no shaving marks anywhere on the dog. There was a lack swelling of the head and no signs of surgery. The dog in the photo looked to be a healthy, mildly sedated dog with some mild swelling in its right eye.

Star’s had brown and white markings, the brown covered her right shoulder and continued down her right leg, the dog in the picture has a white shoulder, and even though ACC staged the pose of the dog in the picture, it is clear the dogs shoulder and leg has white markings.

Sasha Sabbeth, a Star follower states, “These photos are token gestures to have us believe that Star is both alive and doing well. I do not believe either of the photos are true."

Michelle Lynn, another Star follower states, “It’s not Star! No way could she take a gun shot dead on and look this clean!”
The public‘s doubt over these new pictures appear to be justified, and this just leaves the public with more questions for the ACC to answer.

*** UPDATE ***

Here is the latest word on Star as reported by Animal Care & Control of New York.

Thanks to all for the outpouring of support for Star. She had surgery earlier this week to remove her left eye, which had not improved in recent days.Vets also removed some metallic fragments lodged in and around that area.

Star had suffered soft tissue, bone, neurological, and eye damage as a result of her wounds. The zygomatic arch on the left side of her face (the bone across her cheek beneath her eye socket) had been broken, creating a lot of soft tissue damage and head trauma. She suffered a significant degree of hearing loss, but her hearing is coming back and the vision in her right eye also seems to be improving.

Though she is still quieter and groggier than a typical dog, Star (shown here Tuesday evening), is doing well! She is able to walk, play with toys, and eat on her own. She’ll be transferred to the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, an AC&C New Hope partner, tomorrow.

Thanks again to all who are helping to make her recovery possible!

awwww, she now needs to go to a good home and get spoiled rotten!!

AND, send the cop who shot her to school to learn how to read dog body language!!!

Star updates are winding down.

The Lexus Project has taken legal possession of Star and has moved her out of NY AC&C to some undisclosed location. It seems that Star will have a chance at life and that chance will include a quality of life that she has never before known. My heart goes out to her. No doubt that it has been a rough go for her.

I am including in this post a post made by the Lexus Foundation on their Facebook page stating that there will be no further updates on Star until she is ready to be placed in her forever home, which will not be anytime soon. I really don't understand why it seems that everyone that has been involved with this dog wants to remain so private about the details of her recovery and at the same time, solicit the public for funds to be used in her recovery. I think that if any entity or person is asking for donations that those that donate at minimum are entitled to ongoing details of her recovery or progress. In all fairness, there have been a few updates from various sources but it seems to me that the effort to get those updates was like pulling teeth. Star has not been afforded the same public access that Patrick the starved Pit Bull was given. I guess that is the comparison I'm making. Nearly every facet of Patrick's recovery was made public and that more than anything else, lent a sense of being a part of his recovery. I have no doubt that the decision to make Patrick a public figure is what led to the successful donation drive that facilitated his complete recovery.

Time to eat crow. I was wrong about Star having died. I was wrong to suspect that NYC AC&C was involved in a conspiracy to coverup her death. I publicly apologize to NY AC&C for the assertion. I will post this apology to the NY AC&C Facebook page. At the risk of sounding disingenuous about my apology, let me state that I would not have thought what I did if those involved had been a little more accommodating with a compassionate public hungry for details. That's all I'm going to say about that.

It has been a bittersweet journey. It is with hope and affection that I say goodbye and fare thee well to you Star. Sweet in that you will now have the life you never had after overcoming nearly insurmountable odds. Bitter at those that knew about you but would not share.

*** UPDATE ***


The Lexus Project, Legal Defense for Dogs

17 hours ago
This is Star snoozing cozily with her kong. No teddy bears for her- she is a stuffie murderer. We have 8 dogs we are current representing. Dogs that are un danger if being killed. We will be focusing on them from here on in as that is where
our attention needs to be and we ask that you, please not ask us daily where, what and who regarding Star. She is safe, loved and seriously being taken care of. She will go to an approved home when she is ready and I will let you all know when. Probably not for a few months.

Anything about her owner? How is he doing?

I have read posts from people that claim to know him and others that claim to have spoken to him, but who really knows?