Latest news with #justiceForPets
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Devastated' NBA Star Dwight Howard Says Dog's Death Is 'Killing Me Inside To Get Answers'
Dwight Howard is seeking justice for the unsolved murder of his beloved pet and longtime friend, Sunday. The former NBA star got vulnerable with fans about his feelings in an emotional post, revealing he was beside himself with grief and burdened by the lack of answers to his dog's death. His pursuit of justice led him to implore fans to join the hunt for the person responsible. Dwight Howard's heartbroken reaction to his dog's death comes five years after one of the mothers of his five children died in a tragic incident. The mother of his youngest son, David, took her final breath on March 27, 2020. Howard bared his soul to fans on Instagram, sharing a carousel of pictures and videos that detailed his treasured memories with his late dog. The former Los Angeles Lakers player's love for Sunday was evident through the snaps, where they shared plenty of hugs, kisses, and selfies. Although not a poet, Howard captured the flurry of emotions tied to losing a beloved pet. He acknowledged his pain while reflecting on the beautiful memories he shared with Sunday, showing fans how much he loved the dog and how heartbroken he was. "From the moment I got you, Sunday, you were more than just my were my peace. My protector. A reminder of everything beautiful and calm, just like those early Sunday mornings," Howard began. "And every time I called your name, you came running full speed like your only mission was to love me." Howard claimed Sunday gave the best hugs and would wait at the door for him daily so she could wrap her paws around him when he got home. These tender moments were part of the reasons he missed his beloved pet, whom he labeled his "joy," "warmth," and "peace." "You helped me Smile through all the Storms I've been through, but what do I do now that my Sunday Sunshine is gone? I was having a great time in New York this past week until I got the news that my Sunday got loose and was hit by a car that kept going," Howard lamented, adding: "I'm devastated because you were the dog that never left my side, the dog that stuck to my hip at all times, and the one time you wander off without me being there, someone takes you away from me. Who could be so heartless to do this to such an innocent girl with no remorse?" Howard's poignant message continued, "I've been trying to hold this in... I really have, but it's killing me inside to get answers! I need answers, and I won't stop searching until I find out what happened to my beautiful Sunday." He implored fans to help, asking anyone with information about a Belgian Malinois that was hit by a car on June 18, 2025, in Suwanee, Georgia, to contact him. Although people did not have details about Sunday's death, they flooded the comments with condolences. "So sorry to hear about Sunday, brother - hopes and prayers for her beautiful soul," someone penned. Another echoed similar sentiments, writing: "You are one of my favorite players in the league, Dwight. I'm so very sorry about Sunday, your dear and loving companion." Others hoped the person responsible would be caught as soon as possible. Howard's beloved pet was killed five years after he dealt with the loss of one of his five baby mamas. The Blast covered the story, reporting that the mother of the former athlete's youngest son, Melissa Rios, had died on March 27, 2020, at 31. Initial reports claimed she died from an epileptic seizure, but her mother, Edelmira Vega Rios, shared a different story in 2022. She sued a Calabasas apartment rental company on behalf of herself and her young grandson, blaming them for her daughter's death. The grieving mother filed a wrongful death claim against the company, alleging her daughter would not have died if she hadn't slipped on water from a broken toilet. The suit stressed that the company should be held accountable for failing to give notice of the "dangerous conditions" linked to their plumbing issues. Besides losing the mother of his youngest son, Howard battled for custody with his late baby mama's mother and faced similar issues with his former partner, Tiffany Render. The Blast shared that she scrutinized his parenting, claiming he was an absent father. These issues in his private life might be one of the reasons Howard has been unable to return to the NBA despite his willingness. Last month, he told reporters he was "always ready, but there's more to life than basketball." He added that his former team, the Lakers, were also uninterested, saying, "Lakers not calling me, brother." While a reunion with the Lakers might not happen soon, Howard publicly declared his willingness to fix his relationship with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. He invited the former athlete to his podcast, telling him it was high time they settled their differences over "petty stuff." Here's to hoping Dwight Howard gets the justice he seeks.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pup fatally struck by speeding e-bike – and grieving UES owner can't get justice thanks to legal loophole: ‘Just heartbreaking'
A tiny pooch was fatally struck by an e-bike in a sidewalk hit-run on the Upper East Side on Memorial Day weekend – but the dog's grieving owner says she can't get justice for the pup because of a loophole in state law. Local resident Sarah Grant's 18-month-old shih tzu-poodle mix Fennel – who Grant rescued in December – was out with a dog walker when she was struck on the sidewalk by an e-bike rider on East 96th Street near Third Avenue in Manhattan just before 6 p.m. that Sunday, her owner said. 'She was not very responsive,' Grant told The Post, recalling the moment her dog walker rushed Fennel back to her nearby apartment building. 'Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she was barely moving. It was just heartbreaking.' Fennel sustained a traumatic brain injury and severe skull fracture and was euthanized hours later. Grant said when she attempted to report the incident as a crime with the NYPD, she was told she couldn't, as the incident wasn't a criminal matter — because dogs are only considered property under the law. 'I pushed back. If dogs are property, then this is a property crime,' Grant said. 'And they [still] said, 'No, you cannot submit a report.'' She said she was told only her dog walker — who was also injured in the incident — could file a report. A rep for the NYPD told The Post that Grant can still file a police accident report and a complaint report for the e-bike driver leaving the scene of the accident. 'This is a wake-up call for me,' Grant said. 'I've always had pets, and it's an oversight that there is no legal recourse. 'Setting a car on fire is considered to be a worse felony than setting a dog on fire.' The legal loophole is already the subject of a state bill introduced in January by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan). The bill seeks to swap the 'property' classification of such animals to 'sentient beings' and establish that they can be a victim of a crime. The bill has remained in committee since its introduction. A 'sentient being is one who perceives or responds to sensations of whatever kind—sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell,' according to Merriam-Webster's dictionary. The Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare told The Post it is looking into the matter in conjunction with other city agencies. 'We are heartbroken to hear about Fennel and are in touch with her family,' a rep for the office told The Post. In addition to championing Rosenthal's bill to reclassify animals as 'sentient beings' under the law, Grant is calling for more enforcement for pedestrians safety on Gotham's sidewalks, where any form of biking is illegal for riders over the age of 12. 'Whether that's for humans or pets, it needs to be a bigger priority,' Grant said of the issue. 'An e-bike at that speed is deadly. I think people need to have a license and prove they have an understanding of traffic law in order to drive them.' 'This incident is exactly why Police Commissioner Tisch issued new enforcement and guidance on 14 high-traffic, high-volume e-bike corridors throughout the city to protect all New Yorkers from reckless e-bikes,' a rep for the NYPD said. Janet Schroeder, director and co-founder of the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance, which has called for the registration and licensing of e-bikes, told The Post that Fennel's passing is 'incredibly sad' and 'infuriating' — but not surprising. 'The fact that the e-biker fled is also expected,' she said. 'The rider flees the crash scene the majority of the time and therefore the rider can't be held accountable because they can't be identified.' Schroeder said Fennel's untimely death is yet another reason city legislators must pass the proposed Priscilla's Law, a 'common-sense solution' requiring license plates on e-vehicles 'so that egregious riding can be identified by enforcement cameras and riders held accountable to following the basic rules of the road which will change egregious riding behavior.' In 104 e-bike-related crashes that Schroeder's group recorded, only four riders remained at the scene, according to the coalition — and in only six cases were crashes logged by the NYPD. 'This is a public-health crisis, and there is blood on the hands of any legislator who continues to do nothing but talk,' Schroeder added. Fennel's tragic passing comes just weeks after the mauling of chihuahua pup Penny on the Upper West Side by a pair of pitbulls sparked public outcry over how the city and state handle animal-related crimes. As dogs are considered property under state law, police often don't get involved unless a human is attacked or a human owner participates in crimes against dogs — and justice for Penny has yet to be served as well, animal advocates say. '[From] East Harlem to Brooklyn, there are people who … have the same concern: Somebody has dogs who attack other dogs, and nobody does anything about it,' city Council Member Gale Brewer told The Post this month. 'The agencies try, but they operate in a silo. We need to have everyone working together.' Grant said, 'I think if people knew and understood the ramifications of [the law], it would help galvanize action. 'I don't want any money out of this — I just want accountability, I want the laws to change,' she said. 'I don't want any other people to have to go through what I'm going through.'
