Latest news with #LaurenClaus
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Owner of dog mauled on Upper West Side blames lack of enforcement for attack
A small dog is still recovering after being mauled by larger dogs in Manhattan earlier this month. CBS News New York has learned it's possible the attack could have been prevented. It has been nearly a month since Lauren Claus' dog, Penny, was viciously attacked on the Upper West Side by two large dogs. "This process has been extremely frustrating. I've learned a lot in the past month about how much this city doesn't really seem to care about the welfare of dogs and how willing they are to sort of cast aside somebody," Claus said. She said her mission to get justice for her 10-year-old Chihuahua mix has been hitting brick walls, as the law says pets are considered property. "That's disgusting to me. That's absolutely disgusting to me," Claus said. The March 5 order by the NYC Department of Health Claus also learned that back on March 5 the city's Department of Health ordered the owner of the aggressive animals to keep his dogs muzzled and on tight leashes, after both were involved in a fatal attack in Central Park in January. Claus said that order was not in compliance the day Penny was attacked earlier this month. "If they had acted on the violation of the order, this never would have happened to Penny, because he would have been in violation. And under that misdemeanor, his dogs could have been seized, without question," Claus said. A week after Penny was attacked, hundreds of people poured into a packed room with deep concerns, saying the two dogs involved in Penny's attack have been a constant problem. They met with police, the Department of Health, and local leaders, including City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who just found out about the Department of Health's order from CBS News New York on Wednesday. "I was livid. I didn't know a thing about it," Brewer said. "Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Nobody shared this information, even at the meeting. The Police Department and the Health Department need to work together to have these dogs muzzled on a leash or off the streets." Dog owner in question was hit with summonses The Health Department says it followed up on the order twice in March, giving the dog owner two separate summons for a $1,000 fine after learning the owner didn't muzzle the dogs. It would only say now that the investigation is ongoing. For now, Claus is continuing the fight for her dog. She said she thinks about what happened and the aftermath "every day, every time I look at her," adding, "I'm working on her case all the time. It has become a second job for me." She said she hopes a bill in Albany called "Penny's Law," designed to hold dog owners accountable for their pets' actions, will pass. She said she is starting a petition to get city leaders on board. "We're really asking the city to pay attention and actually prosecute crimes that are clear crimes. But this is something that's actionable, that we can actually move on, and we're not sure why," Claus said.
CBS News
17-05-2025
- CBS News
New York lawmaker pushing new bill in response to vicious dog attacks
Proposed "Penny's Law" would hold New Yorkers accountable for their pets' actions Proposed "Penny's Law" would hold New Yorkers accountable for their pets' actions Proposed "Penny's Law" would hold New Yorkers accountable for their pets' actions A New York lawmaker has introduced new legislation in response to two vicious dog attacks in the city this year. Two large, aggressive dogs are accused of attacking two smaller dogs in separate incidents. One died and the other was seriously injured. 2 aggressive dogs accused of killing small dog, attacking another Lauren Claus said her 10-year-old dog, Penny, was attacked, unprovoked, by the aggressive dogs on an Upper West Side street earlier this month. "The owners did not have full control over their dogs," Claus said. "After they mauled my dog, they just were able to walk away. The only people that were even trying to hold them accountable were bystanders." The 20-pound chihuahua mix still has bandages and stitches for her lacerations and puncture wounds, and her owners say they're on the hook for almost $11,000 in vet bills because of the attack. Another dog owner said the same two dogs mauled her 17-year-old shih tzu mix, named Grover, to death in Central Park in January. Local leaders say police have been in touch with the owner of the two large dogs, but police haven't been able to do anything further because under New York law, pets are considered property. "Penny's Law" cracks down on pet owners' accountability "Pets are not property, they are family," State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar said. She has introduced a bill called "Penny's Law," which, if passed, would hold negligent dog owners criminally accountable for their pets' actions, especially in cases of attacks. It would also impose more serious penalties for leash law violations. "This is long overdue. There were over 3,000 complaints to 311 about off-leash dogs," Rajkumar said. A rally in support of the bill was held Friday near City Hall. "We need action now, so we are going to keep the pressure on the DA," New York State Assembly Chief of Staff Gregory Kirsopp said. Local leaders are hoping to get the bill passed this year. Penny's owners say they are working with lawyers, hoping for legal resource in civil court.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
NYC dog attack: Manhattan DA assigns attorney to review case
In New York City, a Chihuahua named Penny was mauled by two pit bulls in an attack caught on camera. Bystanders rushed in to help, but Penny suffered serious injuries, including multiple puncture wounds and two six-inch gashes. Police told her owners they couldn't take action because, under New York law, dogs are considered property, making the incident a civil matter. Now, state lawmakers are proposing "Penny's Law," which would criminalize negligent dog handling and penalize owners who flee the scene of an attack. Lauren Claus, Penny's owner, has been desperately seeking justice, reaching out to the NYPD, Animal Control, the ASPCA and more. Until now, no agency had taken action. But the Manhattan District Attorney's Office has assigned an assistant district attorney to review the case.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- CBS News
Pit bulls involved in NYC mauling incident killed another pet dog, woman claims
There's more outrage after a small dog was mauled by pit bulls on the Upper West Side. The shocking attack was caught on video Saturday night at 85th Street and Columbus Avenue. The owner of the chihuahua mix that was mauled is demanding legal action as another woman claims the same pit bulls previously killed her pet shih-tzu. Penny, a chihuahua mix that survived Saturday's attack, is slowly recovering. Penny's owner Lauren Claus is clear about what she wants to see happen now. "To get the dogs off the street and hold the owners accountable," Claus said. Dogs involved in mauling may be linked to another incident In a packed room on the Upper West Side Wednesday night, many dog owners spoke about their deep concerns, saying the two pit bulls involved in Penny's attack have been a constant problem. Graphic video shows two pit bulls mauling a 17-year-old shih tzu-mix named Grover in Central Park in January. Grover was killed in the attack. Grover's owner, who did not want to be identified, said her dog was mauled by the same pit bulls that attacked Penny. "Grover was completely blind and defenseless. I was screaming that he was dead," she said. Grover's traumatized owner said her effort to get justice failed. "To date, I'm not optimistic anything is going to happen," she said. "No one can guide me as to what to do tomorrow." "We need to change that law" Police say they can't investigate the attack, because under New York law, pets are considered property. "That's ridiculous. Children are not your property, they are your family. Dogs are your family," Upper West Side dog owner Charles Candreva said. City Councilmember Gale Brewer is pushing to make a dog-on-dog attack a crime. "Why is it that a dog can attack another dog and nothing gets done?" Brewer said. "We need to change that law." Claus previously said she's been told that her options right now are to sue the owners of the other dogs in civil court and try to get the attacking dogs declared dangerous and removed. "The NYPD has to take a report on dog-on-dog attacks. That way we can take that report and file civilly if we need to," Claus said. The district attorney has assigned Penny's case to be investigated, Brewer said. She also said police have been in touch with the owner of the pit bulls, but haven't been able to do anything further.
