Poodle recovering but faces tough road after 5-story drop

SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE - A 1-year-old white toy poodle named Angel seems to have a “doggie guardian angel” of his own, surviving after being dropped from a five-story hospital tower, a fall which killed the dog’s father.

The man who allegedly dropped them Saturday from the fifth floor of a tower at Advocate Christ Medical Center in southwest suburban Oak Lawn is Edward Hanania, a 22-year-old Oak Lawn resident, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

He was charged Monday with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty, state’s attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said. On Tuesday, he was ordered held on a $350,000 bond, and prosecutors are seeking to have his parole revoked from a 2017 drug conviction.

The dogs were a father and son named Angel and Guerro, but the 6-year-old died on impact, according to a statement from the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge.

Angel suffered bruised ribs, a broken leg, and “trauma all over his little body,” the statement said. “Upon his arrival to AWL, he was in severe shock and had to be immediately stabilized.”

It all started when the dogs wandered away from their home.

They were “found and put on a social media website under a found dog section,” according to the AWL.

In court Tuesday in Bridgeview, prosecutors said the dogs went missing on Friday and after seeing a post on Facebook, Hanania went to the home of the person who found them, claimed the dogs were his and even paid the finder a $20 reward.

He then drove to the roof of the parking garage at Christ Hospital and threw them off, prosecutors said, adding that Hanania “did not have any connection to the dogs.”

Prosecutors said the entire incident was captured on video.

After Angel was stabilized, a microchip was found and the actual owner contacted.

The owner, a man who wishes to remain anonymous “is completely distraught over the loss of the oldest dog, and the suffering of his youngest dog,” the statement said. “Angel wagged his bruised little tail with joy when he saw his owner.”

Though badly hurt, the dog “has the sweetest personality. He is very loving and likes to give kisses. He will need surgery to have pins put in his leg. He is in good spirits, but on a long road to recovery.”

The dog was scheduled for surgery Monday, but no update had been provided as of Tuesday afternoon.

“This dog named Angel appears to have his own little doggie guardian angel,” the statement said.

Police were called about noon Saturday after the dogs were found in the parking garage between Towers B and C of Christ hospital at 4440 W. 95th St., according to Oak Lawn police. Both had been dropped from the top floor of Tower C.

Hanania was convicted in March of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, a felony, and sentenced to 24 months probation, according to prosecutors, who are filing a violation of probation.

He had previously been convicted of misdemeanor counts of retail theft in 2014 and 2015 (twice), and battery in 2013.

Hanania is next scheduled to appear in court Thursday in Bridgeview.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to help pay for Angel’s medical expenses can do so at www.animalwelfareleague.com.