Dog dragged behind truck for 2 miles
Port St. Lucie, FL (US)Incident Date: Monday, Dec 14, 2009
County: Saint Lucie
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Dismissed
Person of Interest: Napolean Davis
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A 31-year-old man was arrested about 10 a.m. Monday on animal cruelty charges for allegedly dragging a dog nearly 2 miles behind his pickup truck.
According to Port St. Lucie Police Department reports, Napoleon Davis, who told police he was homeless and living with a brother in the 1500 block of Iffla Avenue, said he was taking the dog to the Humane Society of St. Lucie County because his relatives would no longer take care of it.
Tom Nichols, public information officer with the Port St. Lucie Police Department, said the cab of Davis’ truck “was full of stuff, and rather than clean it up and put the dog up there where it belonged, he put it in the back (of the truck),” tying the dog to a post in the truck bed with a 15-foot leash.
The dog, described as a small pit bull mix, apparently jumped out of the truck near Paar Drive and Darien Street and was dragged to the 3200 block of Rosser Boulevard, a distance of 1.9 miles, according to police.
Nichols said two people tried to stop the truck, “but it just kept going” before another pair of passers-by managed to stop Davis.
“The first people (who tried to stop the truck) called 911,” Nichols said, “and (Davis) called 911 once he stopped.”
Nichols said Davis told police he didn’t know the dog had jumped out of the truck.
Davis was being taken to the St. Lucie County Jail late Monday morning, Nichols said. The dog was taken to Animal Hospital of West Port St. Lucie.
“She’s in pretty rough shape,” Dr. Leonard Fox, a veterinarian at the clinic, said of “Holly,” the name given to the dog because of the Christmas season. “She has road rash everywhere; and treating road rash is like treating a burn victim. You can’t stitch the wounds together. She’ll have to have her bandages changed every two to three days for a month.”
Fox said the worst injuries were to the dog’s feet, which he said “look like ground beef.”
“She was dragged so long on her back legs that what you might call her big toes were worn down to the bone,” Fox said, adding that at least three of the dogs toes will have to be amputated in surgery planned Tuesday.
Fox said the dog weighs 42 pounds and is between a year and 18 months old.
Treating the dog is expected to cost from $1,000 to $1,500, Fox said.
David Robertson, operations manager at the Humane Society’s animal shelter in Fort Pierce, said that estimate “could be just the tip of the iceberg. She’s got some really horrific injuries.”
Fox said his office will donate some of its services, and the Humane Society is dipping into its emergency fund money.
“We’ll do whatever it takes,” Fox said. “She’s a good dog. She hasn’t given us a hard time, hasn’t tried to bite anyone, even with all the work we’ve been doing on her. I think she appreciates what we’re trying to do.”
The Holly Fund has been set up by the Humane Society of St. Lucie County to help pay for medical treatment for the dog dragged nearly 2 miles Monday morning in Port St. Lucie.
To contribute, call (772) 461-0687.
Case UpdatesHolly, the dog dragged for nearly 2 miles behind a pickup truck in December, has a new home and a new playful brother.
Nancy Fiorenza and Daniel Dunseath of Vero Beach adopted Holly, an 18-month-old pit bull/lab mix, late Wednesday from the Humane Society of St. Lucie County.
The couple had been looking for a playmate for their pit bull, Steeler, named for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who they also adopted from the Humane Society on Valentine’s Day of last year.
“We had read about Holly’s situation in the newspaper and saw her on TV, but we figured she had already been adopted,” Fiorenza said. “We stopped in the shelter on Tuesday just to see who was there, and she happened to be there.”
The couple returned to the shelter late Wednesday to introduce Steeler to Holly to see if they would get along. The rest is history.
“They are getting along fabulously,” Fiorenza said. “Holly is running around to the point where you’d never even know she was hurt. We’ve been on several walks together, and she walks really well on a leash.”
She said when Holly came home, Steeler ran to his basket of toys and grabbed a rope toy to bring over to Holly and they both played tug.
Steeler had been brought to the shelter last year after a neighbor reported that his family had moved and left him behind, Fiorenza said.
“I know pit bulls get a bad rap,” Fiorenza said. “But Steeler is the most awesome dog we’ve ever owned.”
Holly will be the star of the first annual Walk for the Animals from 1 to 3 p.m. on March 13 at the Animal Hospital of West Port St. Lucie, which has been overseeing her care since the Dec. 14 incident. Dr. Leonard Fox, Holly’s veterinarian, is organizing the event to raise money for the Humane Society. Holly will lead a 1.25-mile dog walk that will culminate with a carnival at the Animal Hospital.
Fox said his goal is to have 500 dogs participate in the walk.
Up until last week, Holly had been staying at the home of David Robertson, the Humane Society’s operations manager. She only became officially available for adoption this week after Fox gave the Humane Society the OK.
Holly has undergone about seven weeks of extensive medical treatment. She suffered severe road rash and road burns from the dragging incident and had some of her toes amputated.
“I’m just thrilled that she’s been adopted so quickly considering what she’s been through,” Robertson said. “I’m a little surprised.”
Fiorenza said she hopes Holly’s story will encourage people to adopt animals at a shelter.
“It’s so awesome how the community has really been behind her and her story has attracted the need to adopt animals,” she said. “She’s going to be very spoiled, that’s for sure. We thought about changing her name, but I thought, ‘We just can’t. She has her own Facebook page and people know her story.”
Holly’s plight garnered international attention after Ginger Sprinkle, a Charlotte, N.C., woman who read about Holly’s story, created a Facebook group page for the dog in December to help raise awareness and money for her medical bills. Holly’s page as of Thursday afternoon had 3,138 members worldwide.
Holly’s former owner, Napoleon Davis, 31, of Port St. Lucie was arrested on a charge of felony animal cruelty. He told police he had tied Holly in the back of his pickup with a 15-foot leash, and she jumped out near Paar Drive and Darien Street. Holly was dragged for 1.9 miles before a man caught up with Davis and got him to stop the truck. He said he didn’t know the dog had jumped out of the truck bed.
The charge was dropped Jan. 13, according to the Clerk of Courts Web site. A prosecutor said the charge was dropped because it would have been difficult to prove in court that Davis intentionally dragged the dog. | Source: tcpalm.com - Feb 26, 2010
Update posted on Feb 26, 2010 - 11:49AM |
A little pit bull who was dragged behind a truck by her owner has healed and is ready for adoption, according to the Humane Society.
Holly lost two toes and suffered road rash in December after, police said, 31-year-old Napoleon Davis dragged her behind his truck for two miles.
Davis told investigators the dog jumped out of the truck bed while he was taking her to animal care and control and he didn't notice. Davis was charged with animal cruelty. | Source: CBS.com - Feb 25, 2010
Update posted on Feb 25, 2010 - 5:55PM |
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