Soap Opera Actor Nick Santino Commits Suicide Over Dog Euthanasia

**kniption** · January 30th, 2012, 05:55 PM

Soap actor commits suicide after pup's 'forced' euthanasia

A down-on-his-luck soap-opera actor took his own life this week after he was forced to put his beloved dog to sleep under pressure from his Upper West Side condo and became wracked by grief, pals said.

Nick Santino euthanized his dog, Rocco, Tuesday -- on Santino’s 47th birthday. That night, his guilt over the gut-wrenching decision became too much to bear.

“Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend,” a despondent Santino wrote in a suicide note, said close friend Stuart Sarnoff.

“Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.”

The Brooklyn-born Santino -- a struggling actor whose TV credits include “All My Children” and “Guiding Light” -- adopted Rocco from a shelter several years ago.

The man, raised in an orphanage and foster homes, soon began to write about his pet on Facebook, writing, “I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me.”

But in 2010, his building at 1 Lincoln Plaza announced strict new dog regulations, including a ban on pit bulls. The ban didn’t apply to pit bulls already in the building, but friends and neighbors said Santino began to be harassed.

“People were complaining about his dog,” said neighbor Kevan Cleary, 63, an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. “It was open season on him.”

Rocco couldn’t ride in the main elevators and wasn’t allowed to be left in the apartment alone for more than nine hours.

Santino was then threatened with a $250 fine for having a barking dog, neighbors said.

“The dog was not a barker, but somebody complained that the dog would bark,” Cleary said.

“He felt like he was in this battle because he was the only guy in the building with a pit-bull mix,” Cleary added.

Another neighbor, Lia Pettigrew, who runs a pet-care company, said, “Everybody knows that he had been harassed by the building management.”

The building’s management refused to comment.

source -
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/29...#ixzz1kyroNmWN

**Bohring** · January 30th, 2012, 06:16 PM

I wish he had told them all to go fuck themselves. Or moved.

**Obsolete** · January 30th, 2012, 06:57 PM

Why was euthanizing him the only option? Why couldn't he have rehomed him, or fucking moved?

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 30th, 2012, 07:03 PM

There was obviously more wrong with this guy than feeling guilt about putting the dog down.

If he thought he failed his "best friend" by having him put down, he's failed his family and the rest of his friends even further by putting himself down too.

**TheMorningStar** · January 30th, 2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota Valkyrie

There was obviously more wrong with this guy than feeling guilt about putting the dog down.

If he thought he failed his "best friend" by having him put down, he's failed his family and the rest of his friends even further by putting himself down too.

Maybe he had none.

**Marv** · January 30th, 2012, 08:19 PM

Raised in orphanages and foster homes. A 'down-on-his-luck' actor. Spent his 47th birthday getting his dog killed. Was being harrassed by the apartment managers. Sad story. He was probably depressed at how shitty his life had been/was now and got the dog euthanized in a fit of that depression, and then the guilt of what he had done made him even more depressed so he euthanized himelf.

But as others have said I can't understand why he would get the dog euthanized either. Surely there were better options than 'betraying his best friend'. He could have moved to a friendlier, more tolerant building. He could have asked a friend to have the dog until he found a better place, or if he had no friends, then put the dog in kennels for a while until he moved. I guess maybe his state of mind blinded him from seeing other options.

I do agree with the building managers that Rocco shouldn't have been allowed to be left alone in the aparment for more than 9 hours, tho'. NO dog should be left home alone for that length of time.

**Raptor Jesus** · February 27th, 2012, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by Dakota Valkyrie

There was obviously more wrong with this guy than feeling guilt about putting the dog down.

If he thought he failed his "best friend" by having him put down, he's failed his family and the rest of his friends even further by putting himself down too.

This, exactly.

People don't kill themselves over putting a pet to sleep no matter how beloved. It might have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back but there's more to this.

In fact, whoever wrote this article is a jackass for titling it in such a way that people who read it will click on it because they actually believed someone killed themselves solely over a pet.

**malq** · February 27th, 2012, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by Raptor Jesus

In fact, whoever wrote this article is a jackass for titling it in such a way that people who read it will click on it because they actually believed someone killed themselves solely over a pet.

I see your point, but is really a matter of necessity. credible writers on here, follow the story. When Fox news reported it, they basically said the same thing. It is up to the reader to read between the lines once they get into the story.. The shallow ones will take it literally. Kniption is a front page writer and he knows what he is doing, believe me. I think it is actually common practice for creators to use some sort of baiting technique. Oh, and if you hate the way he did that, you should see my titles.. I wildly stretch the truth and sometimes flat out lie. Like I said credible writers follow the story. :D
Peace,Out

**Obsolete** · February 27th, 2012, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Raptor Jesus

In fact, whoever wrote this article is a jackass for titling it in such a way that people who read it will click on it because they actually believed someone killed themselves solely over a pet.

This...left me speechless and shaking my head.

**Whisper** · February 27th, 2012, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Raptor Jesus

This, exactly.

People don't kill themselves over putting a pet to sleep no matter how beloved. It might have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back but there's more to this.

In fact, whoever wrote this article is a jackass for titling it in such a way that people who read it will click on it because they actually believed someone killed themselves solely over a pet.

Kniption is one of the best writers around

**malq** · January 30th, 2012, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by Obsolete

Why was euthanizing him the only option? Why couldn't he have rehomed him, or fucking moved?

That's the way I see it. In my mind, having to move is better than killing myself. I think there is much more going on than some canine warm fuzzies. It is quite possible his innerchild is gay and he didn't know how to tell his mom. That sounds like a legitimate reason to kill yourself.

I am curious how he killed himself? Did he use the blender?

**Whisper** · February 26th, 2012, 10:22 PM

bit more

Actor Nick Santino cuddles with his dog, Rocco

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-exp...tbrain_6413183

**Raptor Jesus** · February 27th, 2012, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by malq

That's the way I see it. In my mind, having to move is better than killing myself. I think there is much more going on than some canine warm fuzzies. It is quite possible his innerchild is gay and he didn't know how to tell his mom. That sounds like a legitimate reason to kill yourself.

I am curious how he killed himself? Did he use the blender?

Maybe he pulled an Elliott Smith. That's killing yourself.