Photo is from body cam footage of the responding NYPD officers.A tiny poodle named Rocket was recently left fighting for his life after
a woman cruelly threw him from a ledge in Upper Manhattan. Police responded to the scene at Highbridge Park to find Rocket where he landed;
the 1-year-old pup was bleeding from his mouth, nose, barely conscious, and struggling to breathe. Rocket is thankfully expected to fully recover. But what of the person who inflicted so much suffering and nearly killed him?
Sign the petition asking for New York City Authorities to sentence this woman to mental health counseling and a lifetime ban on animal ownership!The woman responsible was Rocket's owner, who he depended on for safety, care, and love. But instead, she but him through unimaginable terror and pain.
The woman says that she "snapped" and threw Rocket from that ledge, and she herself called the police in response.
The
body cam footage of Rocket's rescue is incredibly hard to watch. In it, the responding officers are clearly emotionally wrecked by Rocket's condition, noting that he was bleeding profusely and choking on air as he struggled to breath.
Seemingly in tears, they discuss how they think it's unlikely that he could survive. While it is commendable that she called for help and got Rocket the help that he needed in order to survive,
it is concerning that she lost control so quickly and became so violent. Dogs, especially young ones, are a huge responsibility -- they require a great deal of training, patience, and care. This woman is clearly unable to bear that responsibility in a way that's safe for the animals in her care.
Rocket will survive, but not after multiple lifesaving procedures, weeks of physical therapy, and likely unending emotional healing from this trauma.
What happens next could determine the safety of future animals like Rocket, which is why we're asking for the sentencing authorities involved to include mental health counseling for this woman as well as a ban on owning animals ever again in her lifetime. She clearly needs help, and for her sake and future animals' sake, we're demanding that help be provided.
Sign the petition if you want to see true justice for Rocket! 