- Caitlin Cahill
- Luka recovers at the vet post-surgery
It’s a story most pet owners can relate to: A door or gate blows open and lets a beloved animal loose in the neighborhood. This week, the same thing happened to former City Paper columnist Caitlin Cahill. Her 10-year-old dog Luka got out of her yard — and it almost cost Luka her life.
According to Cahill’s GoFund page, after Luka got out of Cahill’s yard, she encountered a man and his two dogs. The man filed a police report claiming that Luka attacked his pet, and he responded with a knife, stabbing Luka twice in her left side and slashing her throat. The resulting cut was nine-inches long and four-inches deep, but fortunately the knife missed Luka’s vital organs and artery. Luka spent four hours in surgery with an emergency vet and is now recovering. Warning: Post-surgery images of Luka’s wounds posted on the fundraising page may be graphic for some.
Cahill is currently looking into legal recourse against the slasher, so she wasn’t able to speak with the City Paper on record. On the GoFund page, Cahill writes:
The police report the man filed states that his dogs had NO injuries, and the emergency vet told the police that there was no way my dog was trying to harm the other dog. She was doing what most female dogs do, trying to hold down the other dog who was being aggressive.
No matter what happens legally, emergency vet bills are expensive, and supporters have been donating money to Cahill and Luka through GoFund. The total so far has surpassed Cahill’s estimated costs of $3,500. Additional funds will go to aftercare for Luka and potential legal fees.
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