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The incident happened on Wednesday, Dec. 11, when Mikey, a 5-year-old rescue dog, was being walked by an employee of the White Plains-based Paws Barkley dog walking service.
During the walk, Mikey was viciously attacked by two large, off-leash dogs, described as a gray pit bull and a black mix. The attack left Mikey with severe injuries, including a punctured windpipe, brain trauma, and severed muscles in his hind leg.
Following the attack, Paws Barkley owner and White Plains resident Andrew Ciavarelli began a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect donations for Mikey's recovery efforts.
On the fundraiser page, Ciavarelli called Mikey "one of the sweetest dogs" he has encountered.
“Mikey is a miracle, he is our angel, and he is a fighter,” Ciavarelli wrote on the GoFundMe page, also adding that his injuries required over five hours of surgery, a blood transfusion, and intubation. Despite the odds, Mikey has been making slow but steady progress in the Intensive Care Unit, Ciavarelli said.
The dog, who spent the first year and a half of his life in a Mississippi shelter before being adopted, is described as a loving “furstborn” to a young family with two children, ages three and one.
While Mikey is now stable and eating small amounts of food, the medical costs have been considerable, and the owners of the attacking dogs have yet to be identified to pay the bills, Ciavarelli said.
The fundraiser aims to help pay for Mikey’s care, with any extra funds being donated to other dogs in need.
As of Wednesday, Dec. 18, the effort had raised just over $1,700 out of a $32,000 goal.
Those interested in donating can do so by clicking here.
"Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support during this incredibly difficult time," Ciavarelli wrote to prospective donors on the fundraiser page.
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