http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN A down-on-his-luck soap-opera actor took his own life this week after he was forced to put his beloved dog to sleep under pressure from his Upper West Side condo and became wracked by grief, pals said. Nick Santino euthanized his dog, Rocco, Tuesday — on Santino’s 47th birthday. That night, his guilt over the... [more]
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN
A down-on-his-luck soap-opera actor took his own life this week after he was forced to put his beloved dog to sleep under pressure from his Upper West Side condo and became wracked by grief, pals said.
Nick Santino euthanized his dog, Rocco, Tuesday — on Santino’s 47th birthday. That night, his guilt over the gut-wrenching decision became too much to bear.
“Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend,” a despondent Santino wrote in a suicide note, said close friend Stuart Sarnoff.
“Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.”
The dog was not a barker, but somebody complained that the dog would bark,” Cleary said.
“He felt like he was in this battle because he was the only guy in the building with a pit-bull mix,” Cleary added.
Another neighbor, Lia Pettigrew, who runs a pet-care company, said, “Everybody knows that he had been harassed by the building management.”
Dog owner James Steven Grant said Santino left two rawhide bones on his doorstep and earlier was seen tearfully giving away Rocco’s fluffy bed.
“Rocco was the sweetest dog in the world. Rocco wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Grant said.
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Response by NWT
about 14 years ago
Posts: 6643
Member since: Sep 2008
More from the story: The "pressure" was that the dog had to ride in the service elevator and couldn't be left alone in the apartment for more than nine hours. His vet said the dog was "becoming aggressive."
Sounds as if the guy was going to off himself anyway and didn't want to burden anyone else with the dog. Reversing the order of things added a bit of drama.
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Response by Bill7284
about 14 years ago
Posts: 631
Member since: Feb 2009
NWT, probably correct. He was an orphan who had a dog which was possibly the closest thing to a family that he never had. It shouldn't have ended up this way, but then again the circumstances seemed to cloud his judgement. I wouldn't hold the board responsible. BTW since spending back and forth time in Miami Beach, pit bulls are illegal. Boards have nothing to do with it. When the city posts a notice, you have a specific time to get rid of the dog. Usually at that point people move as I have witnessed.
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Response by Crystal221
about 14 years ago
Posts: 1
Member since: Feb 2012
I think the board was partly responsible because the ban in their building on pitt bulls didn't include the ones who ere already living there prior to the pet policy which this guy's dog was, yet they harrassed him over the dog. Neighbours also disputed claims that the dog was barking which he had gotten in trouble over with the board.
More from the story: The "pressure" was that the dog had to ride in the service elevator and couldn't be left alone in the apartment for more than nine hours. His vet said the dog was "becoming aggressive."
Sounds as if the guy was going to off himself anyway and didn't want to burden anyone else with the dog. Reversing the order of things added a bit of drama.
NWT, probably correct. He was an orphan who had a dog which was possibly the closest thing to a family that he never had. It shouldn't have ended up this way, but then again the circumstances seemed to cloud his judgement. I wouldn't hold the board responsible. BTW since spending back and forth time in Miami Beach, pit bulls are illegal. Boards have nothing to do with it. When the city posts a notice, you have a specific time to get rid of the dog. Usually at that point people move as I have witnessed.
I think the board was partly responsible because the ban in their building on pitt bulls didn't include the ones who ere already living there prior to the pet policy which this guy's dog was, yet they harrassed him over the dog. Neighbours also disputed claims that the dog was barking which he had gotten in trouble over with the board.