A New York City pet owner said she plans to sue the NYPD after an officer gunned down her friendly dog, which had gone to the door as the cop responded to a dispute at another apartment.
Yvonne Rosado said her 4-year-old pit bull named Spike was shot to death by an officer who responded to her Bronx apartment building on Feb. 13.
She said the 70-pound dog had come to the door with its tail wagging and showed no signs of aggression when the officer knocked on the door.
Surveillance video of the confrontation shows Spike sneak through the door with his tail wagging rapidly. The officer backs up, draws his weapon and fires a fatal shot.
Footage later shows several people standing outside the apartment, and Rosado can be seen in obvious distress over the dead animal. She later appears to hit the officer who shot her dog.
Rosado was still emotional Friday as she described Spike's death.
"I'm begging him not to leave me and he's twitching and his tail's still wagging," Rosado said. "It's like he's still trying to hang on. But he just died and I just couldn't believe it."
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The officer later left the apartment building without apologizing, Rosado said.
The NYPD said it was reviewing the case but would not say if the officer was equipped with a new type of Mace effective against dogs. Police are authorized to shoot animals in self-defense but the move is considered a last resort. The officer has not been identified.
The Daily News first reported the shooting.
