17-05-2025
New NY law would hold owners accountable after pit bulls attack tiny dog
The Brief
A City Hall rally backed Penny's Law, aiming for criminal penalties on negligent pet owners after Penny the Chihuahua was attacked by pit bulls.
Penny suffered severe injuries in a May 3 attack, with the pit bulls' owner reportedly leaving the scene, leading to high vet bills and distress.
Dogs are currently considered "property" under state laws, and therefore the pit bulls' owners can't be charged.
NEW YORK - A rally at New York's City Hall on Friday advocated for new legislation, known as Penny's Law, aimed at imposing stricter penalties on irresponsible pet owners following a brutal attack on Penny the Chihuahua by two pit bulls.
The backstory
Penny, a 10-year-old Chihuahua mix, was viciously attacked by two pit bulls on May 3 while walking on the Upper West Side.
"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 and a contractor who works with FOX 5 NY. "They picked her up from both sides, like together as a team. Seemed like they were led on to her, and he did nothing to try to stop them."
The attack was unprovoked, and witnesses reported that the dogs' owner walked away, leaving Penny, an emotional support animal, severely injured and requiring $11,000 emergency surgery.
And this apparently isn't the first time these pit bulls attacked other neighborhood dogs. An anonymous sender gave FOX 5 NY video of another dog attack, claiming it involved the same two dogs. This anonymous person told us the dog owners, again, left the scene.
Local perspective
Animal lovers, dog parents, and concerned stakeholders gathered at City Hall Park to support Penny's Law, advocating for change in how dog attacks are handled legally and stressing the importance of public safety.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, seeks to hold pet owners criminally accountable for negligent handling of aggressive dogs and for leaving the scene of an animal attack.
Penny's Law aims to address the lack of investigation into dog attacks, as dogs are currently considered "property" under state laws.
What they're saying
Assembly Member Rajkumar emphasized the need for "real criminal penalties for people who let aggressive dogs attack other dogs."
"It will create consequences for leaving the scene of an animal attack. It will crack down on people who keep letting their dogs off leash over and over again," Rajkumar said.
NYC Councilmember Liz Schulman highlighted the public safety risks posed by aggressive dogs.
"These dogs are not just risks to other dogs. they're risks to other people as well," she said.
