WASHINGTON — An investigation is underway after two dogs died after walking on downtown DC sidewalk hours apart.
The first incident happened Monday just before 4 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of 1140 19th St. NW.
“I heard this horrible yelping and crying,” Ben Stearn told WUSA9. “The dog was jumping in the air, and then it would flop down and jump again. This went on several times, and then he flopped down and didn’t move.”
Stearn and his colleague decided to help the dog. He says he assumed the dog was upset about the salt on the sidewalk, so they attempted wiping the pup’s paws. “I bent down, because I was going to feel for a pulse. I felt a sharp pain in my hand and I thought I had hit something sharp.”
By the third sharp pain, Stearn says he realized he was getting shocked.
Stearn says they moved the dog across the street before the pet was taken to the animal hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to multiple officials.
DC Police say that around 7:30 p.m. their officers responded to the same address after receiving calls that the “sidewalk may be shocking dogs.”
In the police incident report, the second dog was described as a Boxer and the cause of death for both dogs was deemed “unknown.”
Police say they notified Pepco about the incident. The electrical company’s crews were on scene Tuesday for several hours after a portion of the sidewalk was closed down for repairs.
DC’s Humane Rescue Alliance says the second dog that died was a stray and that the case was forwarded to Animal Control.
The HRA says a Humane Law Enforcement officer has been following up with the investigation, but as of now there appears to be no law enforcement component.
“Our understanding is that there was a power line down and the electrocution was accidental,” an HRA spokesperson told WUSA9.
We reached out to Pepco and they provided the following statement:
“We are aware of two incidents that occurred yesterday near 1140 19th St. NW involving two individuals and their pets. Our thoughts are with the individuals impacted by this event. The safety of our customers, communities and employees is always our top priority. We are working closely with local authorities and are continuing to investigate this matter.”
“It’s sort of lucky that it was yesterday and downtown was essentially closed, so there were very few people walking,” Stearn said. However, he says he still does not feel safe walking across the street until he is given an explanation into the incident. “Moving forward, I don’t know how confident I am going to feel walking the dogs.”
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