A Staten Island woman is traumatized after her 5-year-old pit bull was decapitated by the Department of Health after he was euthanized. The pit bull, Rocky, who had to be put down after his kidneys failed, bit a lab tech on the way to the euthanasia room. Worried about a possible rabies infection, the DOH refused to return Rocky's remains until his vaccination records—which were up to date—were reviewed. Then, not satisfied without a tissue test, they took Rocky's head off without the owner's permission to examine his brain tissue. Owner Laurie Chappell told the Staten Island Advance, "That dog was all I had. Now after 10 days his head is in Manhattan and his body is in Travis. It’s horrible."
Chappell didn't want the DOH take Rocky's body to Manhattan for tests, but an officer showed up at the vet's office anyway. She was then informed that the order for a tissue test had been canceled, but when she arrived at the vet's office, she asked, "Where’s my dog.' And [the vet] said part of Rocky was there, but the officer took his head off ... he cut off his head and took it."
A DOH spokesperson said, "the only way to be absolutely certain the dog was not rabid is to test it for the infection," even though the lab tech confirmed Rocky didn't have rabies. Laurie said, "I did everything I could. You’re telling me to vaccinate my dog, but it’s not sufficient. We’re all paying this money. What are we doing?" The DOH spokesperson said that it is legal for a private vet or a city animal shelter to remove an animal's head, but "The Health Department understands that this is a very difficult situation for the dog owner."
