A distressing incident unfolded in Miami-Dade County as authorities responded to a report of a 15-year-old Shi Tzu found with multiple stab wounds in a canal near the owner’s residence. The dog’s owner, Karen Maisonet, had just returned from the Veterinary Emergency Group in Pinecrest with her pet, Gizmo. On Thursday, April 17th, Gizmo had wandered away from Maisonet’s side in Cutler Bay, prompting a frantic search by the family around their apartment complex on SW 216th Street.
The search culminated when faint yelps led them to find Gizmo clinging to rocks in a canal. Maisonet recounted jumping in to rescue him, initially believing the blood she saw was from a fall, given that Gizmo is blind. However, upon reaching the veterinary clinic, it was revealed that the injuries were stab wounds concentrated around the dog’s neck and back.
Veterinary experts identified seven distinct injuries, noting that they were inconsistent with a fall or an animal attack. The wounds appeared as straight lines, further contradicting the possibility of accidental or natural causes. Questions remain regarding how Gizmo, who is both blind and deaf, managed to traverse beyond a fence, cross a street, and end up in the canal with these unexplained injuries.
The family is appealing to the public for assistance, particularly from anyone who might have noticed suspicious activity in the vicinity between 9 PM and midnight near SW 212th Street and SW 103rd Avenue, where Gizmo was ultimately found.