By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON - More details are emerging surrounding a dog attack on North Maple Street in Florence Wednesday evening that resulted in the violent death of a 3-year-old miniature Alaskan husky.
According to a police report filed by Northampton officer Donald A. Nichols, at 9 p.m., Sarah Hannigan, 25, and Jeremiah Longe went to the police station to report that their 12-pound Kleekai husky, Dooby, had been attacked and killed by another dog as Hannigan walked him on a leash.
Hannigan, who reportedly was crying and covered in blood, told police that shortly after 7 p.m., she was walking Dooby north on the sidewalk along North Maple Street, where she lives, when a large brown dog came running down a driveway, grabbed her dog by the shoulders and neck and began violently shaking it.
Hannigan told police she tried desperately to separate the animals, but was only able to free Dooby after the other dog's owner, Christopher Pletcher, of 54 N. Maple St., pried his dog's jaws open.
Hannigan said she rushed Dooby to the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital in South Deerfield, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival, having suffered a punctured heart and several broken ribs, according to the report.
Pletcher reportedly told police that he and his wife rescued his dog Porter, a 60-pound, 4-year-old chow mix, about a year ago when the couple lived in Arizona.
Pletcher reportedly told Nichols that Porter, who he said was known to be aggressive and had killed squirrels and chipmunks in the past, was on a leash Wednesday but got loose when Pletcher dropped something as he left his apartment.
A message left on Pletcher's cell phone Thursday was unreturned.
Lt. Michael Patenaude said an investigation into the attack is ongoing. He said both Hannigan and Pletcher have been contacted by the city's animal control officer and that a hearing is likely in the near future.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
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