Dog shot in the face
Trenton, NJ (US)Date: Sep 8, 2005
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
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A 100-year-old stroke victim�s pet German shepherd was shot in the face by a punk in her backyard Sept 8. The elderly woman, named Willie Mae Fleming, of South Walter Avenue, was fast asleep when the brazen, heartless shooting occurred in her rear yard just after midnight.
City Animal Control officer Jose Munoz and Shelter Manager Eric Maldonado investigated, and provided this chilling account:
A neighboring witness, Rick Davis, was sitting on his back porch smoking at about 1:15 a.m. Thursday "when he witnessed an unidentified black male walk into the alley way and approach the fence where Mrs. Fleming�s dog was [in] its rear yard." The suspect was walking a red pit bull.
Davis reported he saw the suspect "pull a gun out of his pants, aim it at the dog and fire one round. The suspect then fled.
"Mr. Davis stated that he then witnessed the dog running in a circle and then run towards its house and hide," stated the animal control report.
The 5-year-old shepherd is named Jennifer. Fleming said she�d heard the gunshot, and her dog yelping, but due to her poor health, she didn�t investigate or call the police.
Animal Control was called, and notified police. Officer David Godbolt responded, and located the bullet casing as evidence.
Animal Control officers rushed Jennifer to Yardville Animal Hospital, where Dr. Miguel Cruz, DVM, began treatment. Willie Mae Fleming, who didn�t have a way to get there, was given a ride.
"It needed surgery," Cruz said. "I couldn�t perform the surgery, so I took (the dog) somewhere else to get it done, to the specialty practice in Jackson.
"This is sad. This is more heartbreaking when you have the lady telling me from Day One that she doesn�t have any money. I tell her, I said, �Listen, don�t worry about the money right now. We�re not worried about that.�"
He said the surgery was successfully completed a few nights later.
"This sort of treatment normally costs $2,000 to $2,500," said Cruz, "but since Mrs. Fleming doesn�t have the money, they�re doing some of this gratis as a favor to me."
Readers may contribute to Jennifer�s surgery and rehabilitation costs by making checks payable to the Yardville Animal Hospital, and mailing them to "Jennifer Fleming Fund," Yardville Animal Hospital, 401 Route 156, Yardville, N.J. 08620.
Eric Maldanado has pretty much seen it all in his job managing the shelter, but he said this case is particularly sad.
"The dog got shot in the face, and the bullet went through the mouth, through the chest," he said. "This guy was just walking through the alleyat 1:00 in the morning with his dog, and decided to shoot this dog for the hell of it ... just walked up to the fence and shot it in the face."
Asked if Jennifer may have been lunging and biting at the unknown suspect, he said, "Probably not. The dog�s friendly. I think he was just one of those people who are probably trigger-happy. The same guy shot some rounds a few minutes before that around the corner. So he was trigger-happy that night."
Maldonado said he hopes readers will "make some donations to help her (Mrs. Fleming) pay for the medical fees for the dog."
He grieves over what is happening in Trenton.
"It�s too much," he said. "There�s too much gun violence in the city. And now they�re taking it out on the poor animals. It�s a shame. I mean, this dog wasn�t doing anything except sitting in his own yard. And this guy walks by and shoots her right in the mouth." References« Back to Search Results
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