Terrier puppy thrown from bridge Niles, MI (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006 County: Berrien Local Map: available Disposition: Open Case Images: 1 files available Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 8542 Classification: Throwing Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in MI (US) Reward: $500 Login to Watch this Case

An evening bike ride for two teens turned into a rescue mission after they found and saved the life of a puppy that was thrown off a Niles overpass.

Brothers Alex Nemethy, 16, and Tanner Hart, 14, of Niles, found a 5-month-old puppy May 9 on the pavement below the Thompson Road overpass.

The teens then called their father, Brian Hart, a paramedic, who came to the site with his wife, Cindy, a nurse at Lakeland Hospital, to rescue the dog.

After splinting two of the dog's legs, the Harts took the dog home with them. The next morning they contacted Animal Aid of Southwestern Michigan for further assistance.

"It was rare that they'd be bike riding that night," Brian Hart said. "If they had not found the dog, it definitely wouldn't be alive right now."

The puppy apparently was stolen from its owner, and Cass County prosecutors have named a suspect in the case.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Jason Ronning said the prosecution is trying to get a search warrant, but at this point the suspect has not been arrested. Lucky's owner, Jack Fuller, who was not home when the puppy was taken from the backyard of his Niles home, said he believes the suspect is responsible for the crime.

Fuller said he is looking forward to his puppy's return.

"Unfortunately, they said it would be a couple more weeks," he said. "That was the first time I ever left that dog alone because I went to the races and you're not allowed to have pets there."

The Jack Russell terrier puppy's real name is Matilda, but Animal Aid renamed her Lucky because doctors said she was "lucky" to have survived.

Lucky suffered several broken bones in her legs, but after surgery, is recovering at Clayview Animal Clinic in South Bend.

Medical Assistant Jenny Frye said, "Lucky is doing well. "She is able to stand up now."

Frye said, "Unfortunately, her bones are not completely healed; we are taking X-rays often and we will have her here as long as it takes to let the bones heal."

Sue Burkhard, Animal Aid Cruelty investigator, said Lucky was admitted to Clayview Animal Clinic shortly after Animal Aid received her.

"Our primary purpose is to deal with animals that are seriously injured because of abandonment, abuse or neglect," Burkhard said. "We normally don't take in owned animals but in this case, she came to us as a stray.

"We provide a life line to get animals the veterinary care they need to be treated."

Dr. Lorrie Bartloff at Clayview determined that Lucky's injuries -- four broken bones in the right front paw, fractures in the right rear leg and a fractured hip -- confirm that she was thrown off the overpass.

"If she had been hit by a car, we would expect to see more internal injuries, fractured ribs and the like," she said. "Three broken legs would indicate this kind of fall."

If you have information on this case, please contact:
269-369-3151

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References

	WNDU16
	South Bend Tribune - May 30, 2006

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