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Stray Voltage Shocks Dogs On West Village Sidewalk

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Several dogs – including an NYPD K9 – were shocked by electricity hidden under a sidewalk.

A West Village man was walking his dogs, Lola and Teddy, along West 10th Street on Saturday. Suddenly, the dogs started howling in pain.

The dogs had stepped on a charged utility cover buried under the pavement.

The effect is known as stray voltage – when a current electrifies something that is not meant to be charged.

"They started making these like agonizing screams like I've never heard from a dog before," said dog owner Drew Macklin. "It's totally scary, because when you walk down a sidewalk, you would never think that a concrete slab is, you know, electrified."

Officers from a nearby police station heard the dog's cries. A police K9 was also zapped.

Con Edison said salt mixed with melting snow is to blame. Salty water becomes a conductor and shocks the dogs' bare paws.

The dogs are OK.

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