Cops: Drunk, naked man operated on pet Doberman

Liam Ford

Tribune reporter

3:39 PM CDT, June 20, 2011

Alerted by reports of a naked man covered in blood, police rushed to a Near West Side apartment and found a "highly intoxicated" man who had been operating on his pet Doberman, "Foley," officials say.

Stewart Gibbs, 44, was charged with felony cruelty to an animal late Sunday after he told police he had tried to remove a cyst from under the dog's right ear, according to police. Bail of $75,000 was set for Gibbs, whose attorney said is a health care administrator.

Gibbs' landlord got a call from other tenants in the building who said water was leaking into their apartments from the ceiling, according to Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto.

The landlord knocked on Gibbs' door, got no response and let himself in, police said. Gibbs then ran toward him, naked and covered in blood, Scaduto said. The landlord also saw a blood-soaked towel in the apartment before he left to call police.

Officers arrived about 10 p.m. and were met at the door by Gibbs, whose hands were covered in blood and who "appeared highly intoxicated," according to a police report.

Gibbs let the officers in, and they found blood on the floor and walls of the hall, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. They also found the Doberman with a wound under its right ear, police said.

Gibbs told the officers he had been using a butcher knife to remove a cyst from under the dog’s ear, and had turned on the water in the bathtub to clean up the dog, according to police and prosecutors. Gibbs told officers he had been drinking at Trump Tower earlier in the evening, returned to his apartment, had another half-bottle of wine and "proceeded to perform surgery" on his dog, according to a police report.

Gibbs did not claim to be a veterinarian but told officers he was a cardiologist, Mirabelli said. There is no state license information on Gibbs being a physician.

"Foley" was taken to an emergency veterinary center for treatment, authorities said. Gibbs gave up custody of the dog, and the Doberman is now in the care of Chicago Animal Care and Control, officials said.

In court today, Gibbs was attentive and wore dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a yellow or gold design on it. Public Defender Anand Sundaram said Gibbs has been in Chicago five years, is a health care administrator and has a degree from the University of California, Irvine.

Stewart Gibbs, 44, has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. (Chicago Police)