Actor Nick Santino Commits Suicide, Guilty Over Putting Down Pit Bull Rocco
"’Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend, Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.” This is the suicide note left by Nick Santino after he euthanized his beloved pit bull on Tuesday, January 24, according to the New York Post.
Santino’s acting credits included the day-time soaps,“Guiding Light” and "All My Children," but he had been struggling recently and suffering from severe depression. Among his problems was the fact that the condo association at 1 Lincoln Plaza, where he was living, didn’t share his love and admiration for his Brindle Pit Bull, Rocco.
According to the Post, the building passed a ban on pit bulls in 2010. Although existing Pitties were grandfathered in, Santino was being harassed because of Rocco, according to his friends.
A variety of complaints were filed by residents of the building, including a barking dog complaint that caused Santino to be threatened with a $250 fine. However, a neighbor said Rocco was not a barker. Rocco was not allowed to ride in the main elevators of the building and other restrictions were added.
According to the Post, a veterinarian recently told Santino that Rocco as becoming aggressive and the despondent actor blamed it on his own depression.
So, on January 24, Nick’s 47th birthday, he euthanized the beloved pit bull he had adopted a few years ago from a shelter. Santino was raised in an orphanage and had posted on Facebook “I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me.”
Wracked with grief, after he returned from the vet's office, he tearfully gave away Rocco’s bones and fluffy bed to people in the building. The report states that he called an ex-girlfriend about 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning and then ended his life with an overdose of pills. Police officers discovered his body in the condo later that day.
His close friend, Stuart Sarnoff, told the Post that Rocco had been cremated and Nick’s remains will also be cremated and they will be reunited for eternity.
Sources:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN#ixzz1ktzgCKKJ
http://www.gossipcop.com/nick-santino-suicide-dog-killed-himself-soap-opera-actor-pit-bull-rocco/
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I love my dog but I would never kill myself over him. This is really sad and I wish his mind wasnt in that place.
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I was attacked by a family members bit pull mix that was suppose to be non-aggressive. She gave no signs that she was about to attack. I'd even taken her on walks before. I now have permanent damage to my forearm and hand.
After this I would choose to live in a building that does not allow any dogs. People have that right.
There are many groups that could have helped placed his dog into a new home. As great a pet as a dog can be, no dog is worth someone being permanently injured much less dying over. A very sad story.
Dhdc, I hate to hear that. Are you aware of www.DogsBite.Org? If not, then visit please. This is how pit nutters treat victims and a person who is trying to help victims. http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/real-dog-bite-statistics-plus-media-myths-and-colleen-lynn-exposed
Nasty people own pit bulls.
Its so sad to see someone who has been so successful and really a great person do this. I hope that his family is ok and can move on with there lives.
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I could never understand people who are abscessed with their animals. I mean it is just an animal. I do not allow my cat even sleep on my bed!
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This is so sad to see. I really do think that this man is kinda crazy. I guess he really loves his dog.
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Mental illness is very difficult to treat. Obviously all the other factor's in his life were too overwhelming and the issue with the pitbull was the final straw. When people live in co-ops and townhouse, there are rules but in his case, though he was grandfathered in, his neighbors and management weren't comfortable with a pitbull around. An aggressive dog should be put down if the person is unable to manage them. The problem shouldn't be transferred to someone else-especially with pitbulls were the conseq can be fatal. Taking his own life was a personal choice.
I really do think that this was such a sad story. I think he made a bad decision over his dog. We all have loss and Im so sorry that this has happened.
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It is likely that Nick was fighting depression all his life. Whatever caused him to be raised in an orphanaage is going to affect him deeply forever, especially someone who is an artist or actor-type and probably more sensitive than most of us.
Faced with the fact that he was close to the Big 50, down on his luck, hadn't been heard of probably since his soap opera gigs, and now a vet tells him that the only thing he had to love is becoming aggressive...I can understand that might push him over the edge.
NotBornYesterday is someone who frequently writes that pit bulls turn aggressive at various times in life. Just speculating here, but, let's just suppose that Santino realized Rocco was getting aggressive (he said he thought it was because of him, but pit bulls become aggressive usually between 1-l/2 nnd 3 years without any help.)
And suppose Santino also knew that the only responsible thing to do to protect others and the dog from maybe being impouned for an attack. was to have him humanely euthanized. But then he realized it was really the dog's dependence and need for him that was keeping him alive.
Maybe Santino knew he was on the brink of suicide but could not risk leaving his beloved Rocco behind where he might fall into the hands of dog fighters or an abuser and he decided that euthanasia in his arms was kinder than abandoning a helpless dog the way he had been abandoned as a child. This must have been the worst pain he could have ever suffered.
Just something to think about, NBY...
silva
And what do you want me to think about Silva? That you have painted a nice picture of what his intentions were, making him look more like a hero? I'm not the type to excuse people for murder just because they were abused as a child. If this guy were a teenager, I would feel differently but this was a 47 year old, old enough to know better, depression or whatever. I believe people need to take responsibility for their actions and killing oneself is disgusting selfish. I just don't care for those who have so little regard for life.