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Read the press release here.

Puppy Shot By Cop Back in Hospital, Was 'Shaking and Bleeding'

By Adeshina Emmanuel | December 6, 2012 12:51pm | Updated on December 6, 2012 3:06pm
   Colonel Phillips.
Colonel Phillips Shooting
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ROSCOE VILLAGE — A puppy shot by a Chicago police officer is back in the emergency room.

Colonel's owner Barbara Phillips told DNAinfo.com the pup was "shaking and bleeding" from his gunshot wound and in "unimaginable pain." She said he was released too early from the animal hospital and that she hopes he is there longer this time.

The 7-month-old, 20-pound miniature bull terrier went through nearly six hours of surgery Saturday at Chicago Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center in Roscoe Village before being released to his family Tuesday afternoon.

But his condition worsened Wednesday night, they said.

Morgan Phillips, daughter of Colonel's owners Al and Barbara Phillips, spent "most of the night" at the hospital with him, the family's lawyer said in a statement. Morgan Phillips said via text message that "the family is very overwhelmed right now with Colonel not doing as well as we were hoping."

"The family needs a few moments to take a deep breath right now," the statement said.

The shooting that left the pup with a bullet in his left back paw and bullet shards in his belly is under investigation by the Independent Police Review Authority, the agency said — but did not provide further comment.

[Read the original story here.]

On Tuesday, the family filed a lawsuit against the city and Officer Brandon Pettigrew, who has so far been unavailable for comment.

[Read story here.]

The lawsuit said Pettigrew unjustly shot the pup while he was giving a parking ticket to Al Phillips, whose van was parked in the driveway outside his house and blocking the sidewalk.

"After being hit by either ricochet or shrapnel," the dog fled for several blocks before "he was found cowering and shaking in bushes," and rushed to a vet, according to the suit.

Pettigrew re-holstered his weapon and finished writing the ticket, the suit said.

Witnesses described him as "stone-faced" throughout the incident, aside from when he screamed for someone to get the dog before quickly following his two warnings with two shots.

The suit also claims that a pair of unknown police officials from the 19th District paid the Phillips an unwelcome visit on Monday. The officers "insinuated" that the Phillips' "should let this matter go and not push it any further," said the suit.

But when Al Phillips refused, the police gave him a ticket for having Colonel off of his leash on Saturday.

The seven-count lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court includes allegations of excessive force, intentional infliction of emotional distress and First Amendment retaliation.

Chicago Police Department Supt. Garry McCarthy appeared to defend the necessity of police shooting dogs in certain situations during an interview Wednesday with Fox News Chicago.

He said that, "Unfortunately, officers get bit by dogs frequently."

"We don't have to wait to get bit by a dog, we don't have to wait to get shot at before we take steps to protect ourselves. We have to shoot dogs frequently in the city. " McCarthy said in the interview.

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