Dog attacked with rocks thrown by children
Oakland, CA (US)

Date: Apr 30, 2000
Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Attack on a small dog - pelted into unconsciousness by rock-throwing assailants - has left an Oakland pet owner facing an agonizing dilemma: how to pay the $200 a day medical cost on his $700 a week salary.

The alternative is to put Bobo, the 11-1/2 pound Pekingese clinging to life at a San Leandro animal hospital, to sleep.

"I want to do my best to save his life and make sure he walks again," said Oakland resident Eddy Cheung, a self-employed contract architect. But the $800 bill thus far already exceeds a week's salary.

Bobo was in critical condition Wednesday at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists following the near-fatal Sunday night attack.

"He's not eating," said Linda Lasky, a registered veterinary technician. "He is drinking, which is a good sign. He took two licks of food today, baby food. But he can't stand up. He's lying down most of the day, we flip him over to get the circulation going."

His original owners divorced and decided to give away their pets a couple of months ago. Cheung said there was always a connection between him and Bobo, so he offered to adopt him.

A neighbor passing by Cheung's home Sunday night noticed something near a front gate. It was Bobo, lying motionless. A witness said children had been throwing rocks at the dog.

"He was hardly breathing.... When I saw him, I was terrified," Cheung said.

Cheung is outraged at the stoning, and he wants to bring the perpetrators to justice. Doctors re-evaluate the dog every day, and the hospital has notified Cheung that Bobo will not be euthanized right away.

Meanwhile, Cheung's struggle between his heart and his finances continues.

References

San Jose Mercury News - May 4, 2000