Deborah Van Patten was walking her beloved Frankie behind a New Hampshire high school when her pup was electrocuted after stepping into a puddle.
Following community support and a plea from Van Patten, Portsmouth officials have agreed to donate $5,000 to the NHSPCA in memory of Frankie.
Frankie died in the February incident after an underground cable which connected two lamps in the Portsmouth High School parking lot broke, electrifying the puddle he walked through.
Van Patten recently appeared before city councilors, asking them to acknowledge the incident and that the city make a donation to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to honor Frankie’s memory.
Portsmouth officials voted to make a donation to the SPCA in Frankie’s memory.
They also established an annual donation drive in Frankie’s memory to support animals.
Mayor Deaglan McEachern issued his condolences to Van Patten on Facebook.
“I was deeply saddened to hear that Frankie’s mom did not feel supported by her city in the wake of this tragedy,” McEachern said. “Our most important role as a community is to support one another.”
He said he personally made a donation to SPCA and urged others to do so as well, posting a link to the New Hampshire SPCA’s GoFundMe account.
