The Brief
A dog is fighting for her life after the owners say two pit bulls attacked her, unprovoked.
Her owners say they’ve filed an animal bite report with the police.
“Unfortunately, dogs are considered property, and because dogs are property, they’re not subject to criminal prosecution,” one of the owners said.
NEW YORK CITY – A dog is fighting for her life after the owners say two pit bulls attacked her, unprovoked, on the Upper West Side. The incident was caught on camera.
What they’re saying
Penny, a 10-year-old Chihuahua mix who is a service dog, was on an evening walk on Saturday night with one of her owners when they told FOX 5 NY they encountered two people with pit bulls. The dog owner is a contractor who works with FOX 5 NY.
“As we pass these dogs, I think the woman from behind let go of one of the dogs and the man turned around and led his other dog onto Penny, and they started attacking,” said Devon Allen, one of the owners. “They picked her up from both sides, like together as a team,” he said. “Seemed like they were led on to her, and he did nothing to try to stop them.”
Once they were able to free her from the pit bull’s jaws, Penny’s owners say they rushed her to an animal hospital.
“It’s still very much on the edge right now,” Allen said. “I mean, it’s a miracle that she has survived it up to this point. She suffered substantial trauma and is injured all over her body.”
Her owners hope and wait to see if she’ll survive. They say they’ve filed an animal bite report with the police, and they’re now organizing complaints – the two say they are concerned other dogs in the neighborhood may have gotten into incidents with the dogs.
“I’ve also gotten a lot of complaints about a similar situation in Central Park. Different persons, same problem, and nobody is doing anything about it.” City Council member Gale Brewer
“Unfortunately, dogs are considered property, and because dogs are property, they’re not subject to criminal prosecution,” said Lauren Claus, another owner of the attacked dog.
Local perspective
City Council member Gale Brewer says she’s considering legislation: “I’ve also gotten a lot of complaints about a similar situation in Central Park. Different persons, same problem, and nobody is doing anything about it.”
What you can do
Penny’s owners tell FOX 5 NY they’re doing all they can to identify the owners of the pit bulls who, they say, fled the scene.
They’re also asking the community to come forward with any information they may have, including any similar experiences for pet owners around the neighborhood.
