Dog Recovering After Getting Stabbed By Man At Dog Park
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Lakewood are asking for help as they search for the man responsible for injuring a dog.
The crime took place on Friday afternoon at a dog park at Forsberg/Iron Spring Park, located on the 15900 block of West Alameda Parkway, just south of Green Mountain.
Gary Hirsch owns the dog, whose name is Tyni. He told CBS4 on Sunday that he had been at the park for about an hour with Tyni and his two other dogs. When Tyni got tangled up in the collar of another dog and couldn't get free he and several other men jumped in to try to separate the dogs.
Someone then ran up from behind them and stabbed Tyni.
"Next thing I know is this thud -- you could hear that deep thud like someone punched a bag, or a body punch -- and Tyni just went limp," Hirsch said.
The man with the knife then left quickly.
"The guy had no hesitation, no conscience. As soon as he did it he just got up and walked off. And no one was looking at him because they were looking at (Tyni) bleeding," Hirsch said.
Someone at the park quickly called the Fox Hollow Animal Clinic, which is located nearby. Fox Hollow veterinarian Dr. Tony Henderson and two nurses rushed over to the park to help.
"They saved his life. I know within a matter of minutes -- as bad as he was bleeding, he wouldn't have made it," Hirsch said.
Tyni, a 3-year-old boxer mix, is now recovering at home.
"The vet said the knife wound went in 5 to 6 inches and skimmed along the rib cage and up the spine," he said.
For Hirsch, Tyni is more than just a pet. He said the thought of losing him was horrifying.
"He (means) more than even a child. He's an extension of me," he said.
Hirsch and his family have raised enough money to offer a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
Police say they are following up on numerous leads, but the suspect has not been identified.
Additional Resources
- Anyone with helpful information about the attack is asked to call the Lakewood Police Department at (303) 987-7111.
