Prospect Park dog lovers are breathing easier after the Monday arrest of an alleged serial dog attacker.
Cops cuffed Donnell Barden, 42, of East Flatbush at 9:15 am in Brooklyn’s backyard after alarmed dog owners called 911 and pointed him out to responding police officers, a police spokeswoman said. The man allegedly stabbed and beat unsuspecting park pooches, according to police, in a spree that dog walkers say began in February.
“He stabbed my dog eight or 10 times around the shoulder and neck area,” said a man referring to Barden, who asked not to be named. The May stabbing came after Barden’s brown pit bull and the man’s dog fought, and Barden’s weapon of choice was an ice pick, the man said. The victimized Labrador husky survived, but only after more than $1,000 in vet care, its owner said.
Barden has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty, menacing, harassment, and criminal possession of a weapon, which police described as a knife. His arrest stems from two police complaints — one filed on May 17 after Barden allegedly stabbed a dog and threatened to knife its owner, and the other from Aug. 3, when Barden allegedly picked up Janice Brown’s Doberman Pinscher by the collar, whipped it around, and ordered his pit bull to bite it on the tail, police said.
“We are relieved that he will be out of circulation for a period of time,” Brown said.
Park Slope resident David Cobell, who walks his English Shepherd in the park nearly every day, said that he saw another Friday morning attack just minutes after the tail-biting incident.
“I heard people yelling and dogs barking,” said Cobell.
He recognized Barden and ran to warn another, unaware dog owner, only to find Barden grabbing hold of a pooch and thrusting it towards his pit bull, yelling, “Eat! Eat! Eat!” according to Cobell.
On Saturday Cobell, along with other concerned residents, papered Prospect Park with flyers and photos of Barden, warning park-goers of the danger.
According to Prospect Park dog walkers, the string of ambushes goes back to February and it made them dread their walks in the park.
“I have had no choice but to watch my back while walking my dog,” said Prospect Lefferts Gardens resident Jo Ann Brown.
Barden struck her 38-pound mixed-breed terrier with a steel cane while she was in the park’s Nethermead meadow in February, Brown said.
Dog walkers say they spotted Barden in all sections of the massive park, almost always with his dog off-leash.
His arrest comes three years after he was released from prison following a 1992 guilty plea for shooting a gun at a police officer, according to the district attorney’s office.
Prospect Park dog owners said that they feel at ease now that Barden is back behind bars.
“My friends and I are happy to feel safe again in Prospect Park.” Janice Brown said.
Barden’s pit bull is in the custody of Animal Care and Control, according to a spokesman for the group.
Reach reporter Natalie Musumeci at nmusumeci@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4505. Follow her at twitter.com/souleddout.
