NEW YORK (PIX11) – After weeks of intensive care, a puppy rescued by NYPD officers has made an incredible recovery, the ASPCA announced on Friday. The officers who saved the pup also reunited with the mini poodle.
“The ASPCA couldn’t be happier to share that after weeks of intensive medical treatment and physical therapy, Rocket has recovered from his life-threatening injuries and is preparing to go home with his new, loving family,” said Kris Lindsay, vice president of ASPCA Animal Recovery Center. “Getting to watch him run, play, and cuddle up to his caregivers represents the importance of the lifesaving work the ASPCA has been doing in collaboration with the NYPD and our vet partners like AMC for the past decade, giving thousands of animal victims of alleged abuse a second chance.”
On May 16, the mini poodle, now named Rocket, suffered horrific injuries and abuse allegedly by his owner. Rocket had signs of a traumatic brain injury, was in shock, and his heart and blood pressure were unstable when officers in Manhattan rushed him to the hospital.
When Rocket arrived for treatment, he was bleeding from his mouth and was found to have a fractured femur. He was immediately treated with various types of intravenous fluids to address his traumatic brain injury and shock and was given pain medication.
Rocket was also diagnosed with a hemoabdomen, meaning that he was bleeding into his belly, and he received an emergency blood transfusion, the ASPCA noted back in May.
His owner, a 25-year-old woman, is facing charges of aggravated cruelty to an animal, criminal possession of a weapon and torture injury to an animal, according to arrest records.
After recovering from surgery and receiving dedicated care from animal attendants, Rocket is now happily wagging his tail on walks and snuggling up with the caregivers, video showed.
Rocket is now ready for the next chapter in his journey and even has a potential adopter coming to meet him within the next few days, according to the ASPCA.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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