A dog that suffered horrific injuries after being shot in the head by an NYPD officer has been rescued by a man in Nebraska.

Star the pitbull charged at police after they approached her owner, Lech Stankiewicz, 29, who was apparently having a seizure on the sidewalk in East Village.

Seconds later, she was shot in the head by an officer acting in self defense - causing her to lose an eye and sustain 'soft tissue, bone, head trauma and eye damage'.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Scroll down for videos

Saved: Star the pitbull (pictured, right, after the shooting) suffered horrific injuries after being shot in the head by the NYPD. However, she has now recovered and is 'happy' after being adopted by Charlie Cifarelli (left), 49

Living a 'happy' life: Star charged at police after they approached her owner, Lech Stankiewicz, in East Village

She was taken to the Manhattan Care Center, where she received $10,000 worth of veterinary care. However, Mr Stankiewicz never showed up to reclaim her, so she was put up for adoption.

But now, Star has made an incredible recovery and is living a 'happy' life - thanks to 49-year-old Charlie Cifarelli.

Mr Cifarelli, a former New York resident, told Gothamist: 'This story to me has been the greatest thing that’s ever happened in my life, because it made me believe in miracles.

'I have her medical records, you should see the amount of bullet fragments she had in her head. The doctors said, "If you could read medical records, you wouldn't believe this dog is alive".'

Horrific: The shooting on August 13 was captured in video footage, which depicts police approaching Mr Stankiewicz as he lies unconscious in the street, before Star snaps at a passerby's leg

Gunned down: The dog then quickly reverses direction and lunges toward an officer, who shoots in twice in broad daylight in front of dozens of screaming bystanders. Star can then be seen writhing around on the street

Blood-stained: The dog's blood was pictured on the ground in East Village following the horrific shooting

Mr Cifarellia adopted Star in April 14 after contacting the veterinary center, which told him the dog was 'clinging on for life' and being transferred to an undisclosed location.

He then rang up dozens of sanctuary's in a bid to locate Star - before eventually finding her and adopting her.

'I kept calling up places saying, "Look, do you have a pitbull missing an eye?". And finally a place said yes. She had a different name then; they called her Shiloh. But it was enough for me,' he said.

A video, taken this month by Mr Cifarelli, shows him asking her: 'I have a question for you. Are you happy, Star?' In response, the dog bounds happily towards the camera with her tongue wagging out.

Emotional embrace: Mr Cifarelli, a former New York resident, said: 'This story to me has been the greatest thing that’s ever happened in my life, because it made me believe in miracles'

Happy: A video, taken by Mr Cifarelli, shows him asking his pet: 'I have a question for you. Are you happy, Star?' In response, the dog bounds happily towards the camera with her tongue wagging out

The shooting on August 13 was captured in graphic video footage, which depicts police approaching Mr Stankiewicz as he lies unconscious in the street, before Star snaps at a passerby's leg.

The dog then quickly reverses direction and lunges toward an officer, who shoots her twice in self defense in broad daylight as dozens of bystanders gasp and scream.

Star can then be seen writhing around on the street as a woman screams at the officer: 'Why did you do that?'

Mr Cifarelli, who has since started a Facebook page for Star, told Gothamist the NYPD was 'lucky' the gunshot did not strike Mr Stankiewicz in the head.

Wounded: Mr Cifarelli has since started a Facebook page for Star, who lost her left eye in the shooting

'I worked in the Department of Correction, even death row. That was a lucky shot. That bullet could have hit Lech in the head,' said the former prison official.

He added that he set up the Facebook page in a bid to help Mr Stankiewicz and Star.