Miniature poodle brutally attacked by owner recovers fully and is reunited with rescue police before being adopted

His owner may have thrown him off a ledge in the park, but this pup landed back on his feet!

Rocket, the toy poodle who was seriously injured by his callous owner, made a full recovery and has been reunited with the heroic police officers who rescued him from adoption, officials with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Friday. The sturdy 1-year-old dog will be going to his forever home with new owners in the next few days.

Three NYPD officers took Rocket to the hospital for emergency medical care on May 16 after his owner, 26-year-old Cleopatra Morgan, hit her head on concrete and was thrown from a ledge in Highbridge Park at the corner of W. 165th St. and Edgecombe Ave. in Washington Heights, police said.

On Wednesday, police officers came face-to-face with the puppy again, and heartwarming footage showed the trio pampering the red-haired dog and feeding him treats.

During the May 16 rescue, body camera footage captured Officer Kelsey Garcia picking up Rocket and cradling him.

“Kelsey, will the dog survive?” the police officer’s colleague asked her.

“No,” Garcia replied, holding Rocket in her arms. “He needs to go to the doctor. He’s breathing, but he’s choking.”

The two officers got into their marked police car with Rocket, turned on their blue lights and sirens and drove to a local ASPCA animal clinic.

“She threw him,” Garcia told hospital staff. “He’s in shock. He’s bleeding from the mouth. But he’s breathing. It’s superficial, but he’s breathing.”

Rocket arrived at the ASCPA with signs of traumatic brain injury, a broken femur, and unstable blood pressure and heart rate, officials said. The dog was then taken to Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, where he received expert care before undergoing surgery on his femur.

“The ASPCA is overjoyed to announce that after weeks of intensive medical care,
Treatment and physiotherapy, Rocket has recovered from his life-threatening injuries and is
is preparing to go home to his new, loving family,” said Kris Lindsay, Vice President of
The ASPCA Animal Recovery Center said this in a statement.

Rocket’s former owner, Morgan of Washington Heights, was arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, court records show. She was released without bail at her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court and is scheduled to appear in court again on August 13.

With Colin Mixson