A Yorkshire Terrier succumbed to his injuries this week after nearly a month-long fight to recover from a brutal attack. The 15-year-old Yorkie, named Bart, was kicked by a stranger in Venice Beach, California, last month. Despite receiving veterinary care and virtual support from the dog owner community, the pooch was never the same. Now, both his owner and online following hope justice prevails in the ongoing court case against the dog’s attacker.
The brutal attack in Venice Beach
In mid-June, Laura Rosenfeld was walking Bart, her senior dog, on the boardwalk in Venice Beach. According to KTLA, an unhoused man — seemingly coming out of nowhere — reportedly “danced up” to the pair before kicking the Yorkie. A neighbor, Laura Valdivia, organized a successful GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Bart’s care after the incident. In her plea for help, she described how the man “kicked Bart so hard, he flew into the metal claw of the bobcat tractor city workers were using to repair the street.”
Valdivia went on to detail the state of the Yorkshire Terrier in the moments following. She shared that a woman — who formerly served as a firefighter — began CPR on the pup after assessing his condition. According to that woman, Bart “was not breathing. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth. There was no life in his eyes. There was no pulse.”
The former fire and rescue worker instructed others to contact 911 while she worked on the dog. She noted that, “After about seven minutes, he started to breathe but was still unconscious. He started to display seizure-like symptoms including clonic-tonic convulsions and uncontrolled urination.”
Valdivia, who was nearby at the time of the brutal attack, drove Rosenfeld and Bart to a local veterinary hospital. Bart continued to seize on the way — after regaining consciousness — and he was “bleeding from his nose and mouth.”
The dog was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and veterinarians were unsure if the Yorkie would regain his ability to walk. KCAL News reported that the dog also suffered from contusions on his lungs, as well as a collapsed trachea.
The man who kicked the Yorkshire Terrier
At the time of the attack, Good Samaritans who were standing by acted quickly and tackled the perpetrator. The Los Angeles Police Department, who obtained video surveillance of the brutal assault on the dog, arrested Michael Langman. According to CBS News, the 39-year-old unhoused man “was also accused of hitting a person over the head with a glass bottle the same day.”
Langman was booked on animal cruelty and suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He was arraigned on July 3. Langman is currently awaiting his next court date — July 17 — and is being held without bail.
Bart’s death and his mom’s grief
The Yorkshire Terrier fought hard for nearly a month, even being able to spend several of his last days at home. The GoFundMe, which regularly shared updates on Bart’s care, described the extent of the dog’s injuries earlier this month. His treating clinician disclosed that while seizures had begun to decrease, the dog had considerable neurological deficits and never regained the ability to walk on his own. The vet communicated that Bart suffered from corneal ulcers, glaucoma, and dry eye, and he would need to be hand-fed.
On July 9, Bart took his last breath. CBS News reported on the latest update from Valdivia’s online campaign: “Laura is devastated but I know she will also be forever grateful that he got to spend his last few days in the comfort of his own home, by her side.”
The fundraising page will remain active to provide supporters the opportunity to access details regarding a future memorial in the dog’s honor. Rosenfeld intends to hold a vigil after securing a burial location for Barty — as she affectionately referred to him — to be laid to rest. Valdivia noted that her neighbor expressed interest in finding a location with a garden in either Venice or Santa Monica where the pooch could be remembered fondly for the rest of her days.
It often feels as though condolences can do little to extinguish the immense grief felt when we lose a pet. It’s important to grieve our four-legged family members and remember them for their special contributions to making our lives better. We’ve compiled a list of meaningful ways to memorialize your dog to help with the healing process. And, one day, we know you’ll be ready to welcome another dog into both your home and your heart again.
