Yonkers officer gives puppy abused on camera forever home
BRIARCLIFF MANOR, Westchester County (WABC) -- One month after a puppy was rescued from horrific abuse, a police officer has decided to give her a forever home.
Yonkers police received a phone call from a good Samaritan on May 13 after witnessing a 6-month-old pit bull puppy being dragged and then violently picked up by her neck and thrown outside of the suspect's apartment building. The abuse was all caught on camera.
The alleged abuser, 41-year-old Kiani Wright, faces animal cruelty charges.
The day the dog, named Pebbles, was rescued, Officer Neville Bennett met her at the Third Precinct stationhouse. Pebbles played with Officer Bennett for an hour, even though she was originally skittish.
She was withdrawn. She didn't want to interact with people too much. It looked like she was afraid," Bennet said. "As a police officer, we normally protect people, and I felt compelled to protect the dog."
Pebbles was taken to the SPCA of Westchester, but Officer Bennett didn't forget her.
In the meantime, Pebbles received medical attention for broken teeth and an abrasion under her chin. Despite the abuse, the pup would wag her tail, willingly accepting pets from SPCA workers.
Finally, after weeks of debating whether or not to adopt her, Officer Bennett decided Friday to give the pup her forever home.
"I needed to make sure I had the time to devote to her," he said.
The day of the reunion, the dog was lethargic, as she'd just been spayed, but loving.
Bennett plans to change her name to Lady.
"New home, new start," he said.
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