A dog named Cornell was found stabbed 17 times on Long Island — and officials on Thursday offered a $5,000 reward for help solving the disturbing case.
Cornell, believed to be about 2 years old, was found bloodied in the streets of Freeport on Nov. 27 and turned over to animal care professionals for help, Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said during a press conference.
“I’m always concerned when I see cruelty to animals. We often find that people who commit animal crimes go on to commit more serious crimes,” Donnelly later told The Post.
“I’m concerned not only for the animal community but for the greater community,” she added.
During the briefing, Donnelly noted that the pooch was found bleeding from 17 separate stab wounds, caused by a “sharp instrument,” and taken to a vet in Farmingdale.
Cornell survived the horrifying attack and was present at the press conference, with visible scars, though his fur had started growing back in on top of the wounds.
“Some of the stab wounds caused his lungs to leak air between his body cavity and his lungs and they had to be drained a number of times,” Donnelly said.
Additional stab wounds were either cleaned, stapled or sewn up, the DA added.
Cornell was found by a Freeport woman who is not a suspect in the case, Donnelly noted.
He was not wearing a collar and did not have a microchip — but authorities believe he was or is someone’s pet because he appeared healthy, apart from the gruesome injuries.
“He’s too healthy to have been a street dog for a long period of time,” the prosecutor said.
Donnelly issued a dire warning to the public — stressing that the cruel culprit need to be found because “people who commit crimes like this against animals can be very dangerous also to people.”
Nassau County SPCA Board President Gary Rogers echoed those comments, noting that the stabber could next hurt a child.
“People start out on animals before they move into human beings. Somebody in the community knows what happens to this dog,” Rogers told reporters. “Because the next time you’re gonna look at it, it could be somebody else. It could be your child.”
Cornell will be put up for foster care as authorities continue to hunt for the suspect.
The SPCA is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the animal cruelty case.
Officials are asking for the public’s help in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call (516)-571-7755.
