Police from the 46th Precinct knocked on the door of Yvonne Rosado’s apartment responding to a domestic violence call. When Rosado answered the door, her 4-year-old dog, Spike slipped past her into the hall and was promptly shot by one of the officers. As Rosado’s family ran out to see what had happened, Officer Ruben Cuesta sheepishly backed down the staircase.
Neighbor, Irma Santiago said her 16 year old daughter was also in the hallway when Officer Cuesta fired at Spike and witnessed the whole incident.
“What if he had missed the dog and shot my daughter?” She asked, adding,“She’s traumatized by the whole thing.”
Santiago said the officer was never in danger from the dog, as he was wagging his tail furiously even after he’d been shot.
Rosado described Spike as a gentle giant, who she was playfully dancing with moments before answering the door. Once she realized Spike had been shot she fell to the ground and embraced her dying pet as the dog continued to wag his tail.
“He was trying to hold on, his tail was wagging and he’s trying to lift his head,” she said. “He just couldn’t and the life just left him.”
Officers on the scene seemingly ignore the drama unfolding, instead convening on the landing and occasionally shuffling past to check upstairs. None of them offered any assistance to the woman as she lay sobbing over her dog. Eventually, possibly in shock, Rosado stands and walks down the staircase, slipping on the blood of her dead family pet before taking a swing at the cop who had shot him.
Three officers responded in force, throwing the woman, who was clad in only her undergarments and clearly traumatized, onto the stairs and holding her down.
The entire incident was captured by a surveillance camera. The video has been edited, but is still extremely graphic. Please bear in mind the graphic nature of the video if you choose to view it.
Rosado said she wants justice in the form of an apology and disciplinary actions against Officer Cuesta. She has taken steps to file a civil lawsuit against the NYPD. This is just another example of police officers cowardly shooting dogs before properly assessing the situation. The NYPD said that its officers are instructed to only shoot at pets as a last resort to stop an animal attack.
Some police departments have begun to actively address the growing concern of officers panicking and shooting family pets when responding to calls. Officers in Round Rock, Texas participate in a program called BARK (Be Aware of Residential K9s) to teach officers how to deal with a protective family pet. These are animals who think they are keeping their loved ones from harm, not aggressive monsters. While it is far too late for Spike, I hope more departments look into educating their officers on how to better handle the presence of animals. No family should have to suffer this kind of loss.
CAUTION: GRAPHIC VIDEO WARNING!
Featured image screengrab via video.
