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Case ID: 18333

Classification: Mutilation/Torture, Beating

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

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Animal was offleash or loose

Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior

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Pit Bull beaten with brass knuckles, ear cut off
Detroit, MI (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011
County: Wayne

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 6 files available

Alleged: Veronica Garcia

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Caroline Kosino says her 7-month-old Pit bull named Vera, was beaten with brass knuckles, and then had her ear viciously cut off with a butcher knife.

"Her whole entire body was red with blood. And the whole porch was blood everywhere. she came right up to me and she put her head between my legs and I just held her," cried Kosino.

Witnesses say the dog escaped from the backyard of Kosino's Detroit home on Wednesday and attacked a neighbor's rooster. Shortly after it happened, 13-year-old Ezra Rodriguez saw the neighbor running with a butcher knife.

"She had a butcher knife in her hand. She said, have you seen a white Pitbull? We said no," said Ezra.

Rodriguez and his friend who live in the neighborhood, watched in disbelief and in horror at what happened next.

"She yanked the dog by the ear and she just chopped it off like that. And she threw the dog's ear like that and the dog went screaming and came to the alley like that," said Rodriguez.

The boys found the dog's chopped off ear, put it in a bag, and gave it to Kosino.

"Not only is the ear gone, but this whole part of the skin on her head is all gone," said Kosino.

Doctor's were not able to re-attach the ear. They sewed gauze to the skin in hopes it will regenerate itself and cover the skull. Kosino says when she confronted her neighbor, the woman spit in her face, grabbed her hair and kicked and punched her.

"She was like yeah, I cut your dog's ear off. So I was like, how could you do that?" said Kosino.

When we knocked on the neighbor's door, we were told by family member Daniel Negrette that his cousin had been arrested. He said he was not bailing his cousin out of jail.

"No, she already called me man. I told her, you deserve to be where you're at," said Negrette.

We are told the rooster died later that night, and that the woman could be facing animal brutality and assault charges.

"I'm mad that this happened. It's also sad, I feel so bad for her, she's a puppy, you know," said Kosino.

Kosino said this is the first time Vera has ever attacked an animal. The dog has to be taken to the veterinarian on a daily basis to have them redress and clean the wound. There is a possibility Vera will need skin grafts, a bill that Kosino is struggling to pay.

The dog now needs reconstruction surgery that will cost around $5,000, but Caroline only has enough money to stabilize the animal.

She said she is going to make a social media page so people can keep updated on the dog's condition.

Case Updates

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