A small dog named Bart is being treated at an animal hospital for severe injuries suffered when he was brutally kicked on a Venice sidewalk.
The attack Wednesday sent the Yorkshire terrier flying into the metal claw of a front-end loader on the street. The man who kicked Bart also is accused of hitting someone over the head with a glass bottle Wednesday.
Details about that victim's injuries were not immediately available, but he was able to identify his attacker, police said.
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Witnesses chased the man and detained him until police arrived to take him into custody, police said. The 39-year-old man was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Officers tracked down video of the dog being kicked, police said. It showed Bart on the sidewalk in the path of a man who kicked him, then continued walking.
A former firefighter on vacation with her son helped revive the dog, according to Laura Valdivia, who set up a fundraising account to help her neighbor with veterinary bills for Bart. The fundraiser collected more than $21,300 as of Monday morning.
"On the way (to the vet), Bart regained consciousness but kept moaning and seizing," Valdivia said. "It was truly one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard. The emergency room got him stable, but said he suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Valdivia posted an update in which she said Bart was doing better. On Monday, she told NBCLA that Bart is eating, but not standing on his own.
She also posted an update from the dog's owner: "From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank everyone for helping me save my doggie. He has a very long road of recovery ahead but I will be with him every step of the way and I’m touched by the amount of support."
