Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested After Striking Puppy
Early last month, five-month-old pit bull Gigi and her owner were crossing the street near their Staten Island home when suddenly a car struck the puppy. According to Gigi’s owner, the car was on the wrong side of the street. The driver left the scene of the accident without providing any information to the puppy’s devastated owner. Sadly, Gigi succumbed to her injuries and died at a nearby animal hospital. The ASPCA was notified of the incident two days later and promptly began an investigation. On December 27, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement agents arrested the alleged hit-and-run driver, Rafael Lauda, on multiple charges stemming from the accident. Lauda, 22, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury to an animal and driving with a suspended license. If convicted of all charges, he faces more than a year in jail.
What should you do if you see an animal being hit by a car? “Regardless of how serious the injuries appear, any animal hit by a car needs immediate medical attention,” says Dr. Robert Reisman, ASPCA Medical Coordinator of Animal Cruelty Cases. “Internal injuries may not be visible, but in all instances may be life-threatening.”
More tips from Dr. Reisman:
- “If there is external bleeding, apply pressure to the wound to limit loss of blood.”
- “Because you may further aggravate a serious injury while moving an injured animal, he or she should be carefully placed on a board—or at the very least, a blanket—and carefully, but quickly, transported to the closest animal hospital.”
Additionally, the ASPCA reminds you to be extra alert when crossing the street with your dogs—keep them close, and never use extension leashes near high-traffic areas. If you have witnessed animal cruelty, please report it. In New York City, call (877) THE-ASPCA. To learn how to report cruelty elsewhere, visit our Report Cruelty FAQ.