The dog had been evaluated by his vet, “who found out he was healthy,” says the statement. Several New York City law enforcement officials refused to take the dog into custody, according to the refuge.
“As a result, and consistent with the input received from law enforcement, we have now complied with the owner’s request for the dog to be returned,” according to the statement.
The accident in the park
Amy Cooper called the police over Christian Cooper (no report) on May 25 during a meeting involving her wild dog. Amy Cooper was walking her dog while Christian Cooper was watching birds in a wooded area of Central Park called Ramble. Both told CNN that their dispute started because his dog was not on a leash, contrary to the rules of the Ramble, according to the park’s website.
Christian Cooper recorded the video of part of their meeting and posted it on Facebook, where it has since been shared thousands of times and has become a trending topic on Twitter. In the video, she is largely silent as she frantically tells the police that she is threatening her and her dog.
“I’m taking a picture and I’m calling the cops,” Amy Cooper is heard saying in the video. “I will tell them that there is an African American man who is threatening my life.”
While on the phone, his dog looks tired and tries to free himself while trying to hold him by the collar. After the accident, his dog was handed over to the shelter from which he had been adopted a few years earlier.
In comments to CNN when the video spread widely, Amy Cooper said she wanted to “apologize publicly to everyone.”
“I’m not a racist. I didn’t mean to harm that man in any way,” she said, adding that she also meant no harm to the African American community.
Christian Cooper told CNN’s Don Lemon that he accepted his apology.
“I think his apologies are sincere,” said Cooper. “I’m not sure in those excuses he acknowledges that while he may not be or consider himself a racist, that particular act was decidedly racist.”
But Christian Cooper also said he was troubled that people were making death threats against Amy Cooper, whom he called disgusting.
“I find it odd that people who were annoyed that … she tried to bring death to the cop on my head, then turned around and tried to endanger death threats. Where’s the logic in this?” He said. “Where does this sense come from?”
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