Police accused a man of stabbing a dog four times with a knife at San Francisco’s Fort Funston last week.
The suspect, a 33-year-old male whose identity has not been released, has not been arrested but may be taken into custody by the end of the week, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The dog, Lenny, suffered a damaged spleen and lung, which required surgery. According to Lenny’s owner, the suspect approached her with his dog, a white-faced pit bull. The two dogs began to turn aggressive. After she asked the man if his dog was neutered, he responded by stabbing Lenny and fleeing the park.
The suspect was later identified by two tipsters who responded to a flier left at Fort Funston by U.S. Park Police. Local news blog SFist reported dog owners who frequent Fort Funston, Stern Grove and other local parks said the man was a regular at these and other parks in the area and have been working on getting the word out to other dog owners.
Linda McKay, chair of the Fort Funston Dog Walkers, spoke to SF Weekly: “There’s something about the helplessness of animals that makes people feel more sympathetic,” McKay said.
The case against the suspect is under investigation as authorities determine what charges might be appropriate for the unusual case.
