Dog dies days after cyclist kicked it in the head on park trail, Minnesota woman says
A woman in Minnesota says a bicyclist kicked her dog in the head on a park trail, causing its death several days later.
The woman and her husband were walking along Luce Line State Trail in Orona with their dog on Oct. 6, according to a police report filed Oct. 13.
Luce Line State Trail is a 63-mile former railroad line in Minnesota turned biking, hiking and horse trail.
She told police there was no one around until a bicyclist came up behind them moving very quickly. As the cyclist passed, he allegedly kicked the couple’s dog — who was running behind them — in the head, then kept riding down the path.
The woman told police the kick was so forceful that the dog landed in the brush on the side of the trail.
The dog wasn’t breathing, so the couple “performed heart message” and ultimately revived their pet, police said.
All seemed well and the dog relaxed at home for several days until Oct. 11 when the woman told the dog to go to its kennel. When it stood up, the dog’s legs “went out from under it” and it stopped breathing, police say.
The couple tried to massage its heart and bring the dog back to life, but it didn’t work — the dog died, according to police.
The woman told police that she believes the dog died as a result of the kick.
The report identifies the incident as a petty misdemeanor. It’s unclear if there’s a suspect.
The woman said the cyclist was wearing a colorful biking shirt, bike shorts and a helmet, but wasn’t sure if she or her husband would recognize him since the incident happened quickly.
