Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Dog put down ‘after being hit by package thrown by delivery driver’

‘It’s painful to watch your dog in pain,’ says owner

Chiara Giordano
Thursday 21 November 2019 14:04 GMT
Comments
California couple Keiko Napier and Mitchell Galin claim their Yorkshire terrier Cooper had to be put down after she was seriously injured by a FedEx parcel thrown over their garden fence in Venice, Los Angeles.
California couple Keiko Napier and Mitchell Galin claim their Yorkshire terrier Cooper had to be put down after she was seriously injured by a FedEx parcel thrown over their garden fence in Venice, Los Angeles. (Keiko Napier/CBS Los Angeles)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A dog had to be put down after it was crushed by a package thrown over a garden fence, its owners claim.

Keiko Napier and Mitchell Galin say they found their tiny four-pound Yorkshire terrier lying “in a puddle of blood” in the backyard of their home in Venice, Los Angeles, California, over the weekend.

They believe a FedEx delivery containing crystal and a Christmas present was thrown over a wall and landed on their pet, named Cooper, while she was basking in the sun.

Cooper’s lungs and liver were reportedly seriously injured and her owners made the decision to have her euthanised the following day.

Speaking to CBS Los Angeles, Mr Galin said: “I immediately picked up the box and Cooper was in a puddle of blood.”

He added: “It’s painful to watch your dog in pain.”

Ms Napier said an apology from FedEx was not enough – and that she wanted to see the courier introduce a company-wide policy banning its workers from throwing packages.

She added: “Our grandchild plays out here, my mother is out here gardening, I’m here gardening and the package was so heavy that should it have struck one of us it would have caused severe damage.”

FedEx confirmed it would be investigating the incident.

The company added in a statement to CBS: “We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the pet involved in this incident.

“We take this matter very seriously and are working directly with those involved to determine the circumstances behind this event.

“Based on the outcome of our investigation, we will take the appropriate action.”

The Independent has contacted FedEx for comment.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in