Police in Burlington, Massachusetts, are in pursuit of a man who beat up an elderly man’s dog at Mill Pond Reservoir, NBC Boston News reports.
The incident occurred Tuesday, Dec 5., around 9 a.m. At that time, the victim — a 69-year-old man — was walking his 8-year-old rescue dog named Gigi on the reservoir’s trails. Shortly after, the suspect appeared riding a black mountain bike, accompanied by two unleashed dogs. One of the canines was identified as a Beagle mix.
According to Burlington Police Department Chief Thomas Brownie, the suspect’s dogs got into a fight with the elderly man’s dog.
“The Beagle became aggressive at which point his dog defended itself,” Chief Brownie said in a statement. “I believe they both snapped at each other.”
Then, the suspect — who police described as a white man with an athletic body and in his early 30s — used his bike to separate the fighting dogs. He proceeded to deliberately slam the bike into Gigi, who was leashed, causing her owner to fall backward.
Shockingly, the man got off his bicycle and began to strike Gigi in the face with his fist. This attack left the helpless dog with a broken jaw and nose. Moreover, Gigi lost a couple of teeth in the process.
Sadly, Gigi had to undergo an emergency facial reconstructive surgery following the violent attack. According to the victim’s son, John Romano Jr., his dad is still shaken because of how dear the pooch is to him.
“Gigi’s my dad’s right hand girl. She’s everything to him,” shared Romano, who spoke to the news outlet on behalf of his father. “Dad has no bruises dad’s not injured physically but emotionally this would tear anybody up.”
Search for Massachusetts man who brutalized dog
Leon Muratov, a Burlington resident who takes walks with his dog at the reservoir every day, said he might have a rough idea of the suspect.
“There’s a small community of dogs that comes here, so you practically know each other,” Muratov stated. “The guy on the bike and two dogs it’s almost definitely a person that I’m aware of.”
Burlington police are now appealing to the suspect to turn himself in so they can at least hear his side of the story. Additionally, authorities are asking any witnesses of the attack or anyone with information about the accused assailant to contact them at 781-272-1212.
