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Case ID: 13334

Classification: Stabbing

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

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Dog stabbed in the chest with wooden spear
Elkhart, IN (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Feb 18, 2008
County: Elkhart

Disposition: Open
Case Images: 2 files available

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

It's an amazing story out of Elkhart. A dog is recovering after being stabbed in the chest with a homemade wooden spear almost two feet long.

A local veterinarian says it's lucky to be alive.

�It�s amazing that this dog survived,� said veterinarian Dr. Shelia Hartnett.

Meet Tank, a 5-year-old pit bull. Last month, someone stabbed him with a spear inside his pen at an Elkhart home.

Dr. Hartnett performed emergency surgery, pulling an 8.5-inch piece of wood from his chest.

�I just started pulling and I was just saying my prayers that everything was going to be OK,� she said. �It was right underneath his heart. I couldn't tell if it penetrated it or not. It was such an extensive injury."

She says it was a miracle Tank survived.

�It�s just a terrible thing that happened to this animal,� she said. �The object that was used was whittled to a point."

Police who are investigating the incident say they can't believe that someone would go this far to inflict so much pain on an animal.

"It�s really senseless,� said Lt. Ed Windbigler of the Elkhart Police. �An animal is somewhat like a child. They're defenseless and when a human decides to hurt an animal in any way, it�s absolutely ridiculous, and pretty much shameless like child abuse. That dog has no way of defending himself, especially if it's locked in a pen."

�The way that the wound entered the body, you could tell it�s an intentional injury,� Dr. Hartnett said.

Case Updates

The wound, hidden behind his playful demeanor and soulful eyes, is hard to see.

To see Tank the pit bull sit up and beg, to see him lunge for the outdoors, it's hard to imagine that recently Tank had a 20-inch wooden spear stuck in his chest.

For veterinarian Sheila Hartnett, it's even harder to believe that Tank is still alive.

When he first arrived at Hartnett Animal Hospital, Tank seemed to be a fairly normal 5-year-old dog.

Brought in by his owner, Tank had a small puncture wound just below his front shoulder. Even an X-ray didn't show that something was seriously wrong.

But the wound, Hartnett learned from Tank's owners, was the entry hole of a now broken wooden dowel with a point whittled on one end.

Eight inches of the spear were still inside Tank. The other 12 inches had already been broken off. Elkhart police are still investigating the animal cruelty case, Lt. Ed Windbigler said, but no charges have been filed.

At first Hartnett, who works 70 hours a week at the animal hospital she opened last year, wasn't sure what to do. Although she treats hundreds of dogs, few are victims of abuse.

The best option, she decided, was to euthanize the dog.

But looking into the face of the tail-wagging Tank, Hartnett -- the owner of three pit bulls -- decided to try surgery instead.

Only, she had never attempted such a delicate surgery before.

Most puncture wounds, Hartnett said, are 2 to 3 inches deep. Tank had an 8-inch wound that went through the chest cavity and under the heart.

The surgery, however, went smoothly. Hartnett was able to remove the wooden rod without causing any major bleeding.

Tank responded well. A week after the surgery, except for some hair shaved off his midsection, it's almost impossible to know what Tank has gone through.

He sits and begs for treats. He sniffs and explores his human companions. He wags his tail constantly.

But his future, Hartnett said, is unknown.

On Wednesday, Tank's owners relinquished custody to Hartnett. She hopes to find a family to adopt him out to, but realizes the right one may be hard to find.

Tank, although friendly to people, has shown aggression toward dogs. He can only be adopted to a family without another dog.

Hartnett said it might be difficult for Tank to find a home because many people are afraid of pit bulls -- a fear, she says, caused more by cruel owners than the breed itself.

But looking into Tank's friendly face, Hartnett said she knows she'll find him the perfect family.

"You just need to find the right home, don't you Tank," Hartnett said. "Someplace safe."

Source: South Bend Tribune - March 11, 2008
Update posted on Mar 12, 2008 - 12:03AM

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Dog stabbed in the chest with wooden spearElkhart, IN (US)

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Dog stabbed in the chest with wooden spear
Elkhart, IN (US)