His owner may have tossed him from a park ledge, but this pup has landed on his feet again!
Rocket, the mini poodle critically injured by his cold-hearted owner made a full recovery, and reunited with the hero officers who rescued him ahead of his adoption, officials at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Friday. The resilient 1-year-old pooch will go to his forever home with new owners in the coming days.
Three NYPD officers rushed Rocket to the hospital for emergency veterinary care on May 16, after his owner, 26-year-old Cleopatra Morgan slammed his head onto concrete and threw him off an elevated ledge in Highbridge Park at W. 165th St. and Edgecombe Ave. in Washington Heights, cops said.
The cops came face to face with the pup again Wednesday, and heartwarming footage showed the trio doting on the ginger-haired pooch, spoiling him with treats.
During the May 16 rescue, Officer Kelsey Garcia was captured on body-camera footage taking Rocket into her arms and cradling him.
“Kelsey, is that dog going to live?” the officer’s colleague asked her.
“No,” Garcia responded as she cradled Rocket. “He needs to go to the doctor. He’s breathing but he’s choking.”
The two officers got into their marked police car with Rocket and turned on the lights and sirens as they headed to a local ASPCA animal hospital.
“She threw him,” Garcia said to hospital staff. “He’s in shock. He’s bleeding from the mouth. He’s breathing though. It’s shallow, but he’s breathing.”
Rocket arrived at the ASCPA with signs of a traumatic brain injury, a fractured femur, and unstable blood pressure and heart rate, officials said. The pooch was then transferred to the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center to receive expert care, before having surgery on his femur.
“The ASPCA couldn’t be happier to share that after undergoing 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,” Kris Lindsay, vice president of
ASPCA Animal Recovery Center said in a statement.
Rocket’s ex-owner, Morgan of Washington Heights, was arrested and hit with aggravated cruelty to animals charges, court records show. She was released without bail at her arraignment in Manhattan criminal court. She is set to return to court on Aug. 13.
With Colin Mixson
