Latest news with #dogowners
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Grisly NYC dog attack inspires new ‘Penny's Law' to hold negligent pet owners criminally accountable
New York dog owners would be held criminally accountable if their dog harms another animal under a new proposed state bill — which advocates say would close a legal loophole and help get justice for mauled pooches. 'Penny's Law,' introduced by Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar this week, seeks to create criminal offenses for careless owners — including 'cruelty to animals through negligent handling of a dog' and 'leaving the scene of an animal attack.' The new bill is named for 16-pound Chihuahua pup Penny, who was attacked by a pair of pit bulls on the Upper West Side Saturday. The 16-pound pooch was left with multiple puncture wounds after the ambush, in which one of the dogs also bit a woman who tried to rescue the pup, PIX11 reported. The same pit bulls are believed to have killed a dog in Central Park earlier this year while the dogs were illegally off leash, Rajkumar's office said. The state legislation would also impose harsher penalties for those who repeatedly violate city leash laws. 'This lack of accountability has permitted numerous dog owners to allow their pets to attack other dogs,' she added. 'The same owners will allow the behavior repeatedly, often dismissing it as 'playing' or 'a dog being a dog.'' The weekend attack left Upper West Side locals fuming, prompting a town hall attended by hundreds of concerned locals Wednesday. City Council member Gale Brewer, who is drafting similar legislation at the local level, confirmed at the meeting that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is investigating Penny's case. '[From] East Harlem to Brooklyn, there are people who came from all over the city … because they have the same concern: somebody has dogs who attack other dogs and nobody does anything about it,' Brewer told The Post. 'The agencies try, but they operate in a silo. We need to have everyone working together.' Dogs are considered property under state law, and police often don't get involved unless a human is attacked or a human owner participates. State Assembly member Linda Rosenthal is separately seeking to change that by pushing a bill to swap the 'property' classification to 'sentient beings.' Penny's tragic case is far from isolated, Rajkumar's office added. On Thursday, a dog and person were injured by an illegally off-leash dog at Riverside Park, whose owner fled the scene. Roughly 1,300 reports have been made to 311 regarding off-leash dogs this year alone. A German shepherd that mauled several dogs and killed one on the Upper East Side struck again last summer after its owner said she planned to put it down. Rajkumar's own staff member's pooch was attacked twice by the same dog, including once in which the attacking dog was illegally off leash. Last year, The Post exclusively reported the case of an unlicensed dog boarder who is still operating despite at least three dogs being killed by raging mutts while there, according to grieving owners. 'Everywhere I turned, I was told there's nothing that can be done,' lamented one of the tragic Brooklyn dogs' owners. A rep for the NYPD told The Post at the time that 'harm or death to an animal caused by another animal is not a criminal matter.''
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Pet-friendly holidays are on the rise with Aussies looking for destinations they can take their furry companions
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world so it should be no surprise pet-friendly holidays are on the rise across the nation. According to the RSPCA, almost 70 per cent of Australian households have an estimated 28 million pets, and many Australians are looking for the perfect getaway with their furry companions. New data from TripAdvisor reveals Australians are increasingly shaping their travel plans around their dogs and heading to pet-friendly destinations. Holiday-makers searching for dog-friendly restaurants is up about 10 per cent compared to the previous period in 2024 and searches for pet-friendly accommodation labelled 'pets allowed' increased 22 per cent in early 2025. The most pet-friendly destinations in Australia were Rye (Victoria), Rainbow Beach, (Qld), Mudgee (NSW), Robe (SA) and Dunsborough (WA). TripAdvisor and My Dog have embraced the trend and teamed up to launch a new co-branded digital hub to connect Australians with pet-friendly communities. The hub uses TripAdvisor's online platform and mobile app to help pet owners find dog-friendly travel spots and encourages businesses to recognise the benefits of becoming a pet-friendly destination. Users can find city guides featuring pet-friendly travel tips and attractions, as well as an AI trip builder to build a pet-friendly trip with itineraries guided by traveller tips and reviews. TripAdvisor sales director Scott Wegener said the hub was designed to provide information in one place and inspire travellers to visit pet friendly communities throughout Australia. Mr Wegener said they had seen an increase in demand and more people filtering pet-friendly on their platform. 'Almost 30 per cent of all accommodation listed on the site is classified as pet friendly, he said. 'There's roughly around 20,000 pet friendly accommodation providers throughout Australia that pet owners have access to and probably don't realise.' He said while people probably had an expectation that the accommodation would be more rural or beachside, there were a lot of inner city properties, as well as five star hotels, that were pet friendly. 'It's definitely growing and the beauty is the types of accommodation that offers pet friendly is a mix,' he said. 'Australia has one of the highest percentages of pet ownership in the world and our latest research indicates that more than 50 per cent of those pet owners in Australia plan to travel with their pets in the next 12 months.' Stacey Pinchbeck, 37, owns two golden retrievers named Dolly and Darcy that are a big part of her little family. She likes to take them away on family trips with her husband Lynden and baby, so friends or family members are not burdened with looking after her pets. She said it was stressful finding accommodation providers that would allow them to take two dogs aged five and 18 months, as well as find places to eat with and walk the dogs. 'I want to bring the dogs with us, not only would I miss them but I feel bad if I have to leave them behind but I don't like the idea of having a petsitter or stranger in my home,' she said. 'I have a sister who lives in LA and it is pretty standard over there if you have a dog it will go to restaurants or hotels with you. 'We are a bit behind here, I feel like it's starting to take off but it is still really hard to find accommodation that will allow you to bring two dogs, some places might only allow one small dog. 'When we take the dogs we also like to be near parks or trails so we can take them for a walk. 'There are also lot of places that don't allow dogs on beaches so this app is a great idea, it will make travelling a lot easier.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Warning to check microchip details or face fine
Cat and dog owners have been warned to microchip their pets, and make sure the details are correct, or risk facing a fine worth hundreds of pounds. It comes after Violet Cooper, from Dilton Marsh in Westbury, Wiltshire, was fined nearly £850 for failing to update the details on the database of her dog's microchip. Juliet, her chow chow-type dog, was found by a member of the public in August 2024. Considered a stray, it was taken to a local vets to await collection by Wiltshire Council's Dog Warden team. Ms Cooper, 38, soon arrived in search of her dog and was issued with a notice requiring her to update the microchip details within 21 days, but she failed to do so. Last week she was found guilty at Salisbury Magistrates Court of failing to comply with the notice and was fined £220, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Costs of £539.59 awarded to Wiltshire Council, along with a victim surcharge of £88, brought the total in fines to £847.59. It became compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped in April 2016, and for cats in 2023. Councillor Paul Sample of Wiltshire Council said: "Microchipping a cat or dog is a permanent way of identifying your pet if they get lost or stolen. "If your pet goes missing, our officers can scan the microchip and get them home safely. "Hopefully, this outcome will act as a costly reminder to all dog or cat owners to ensure that their pet is microchipped and that details on the chip are up-to-date. "We will not hesitate to prosecute those who fail to comply." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Local Democracy Reporting Service Wiltshire Council Pet database still plagued with problems, say users Pets detached from owners in database 'cock-up' Dog microchip date set for England
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Warning to check pet microchip details or face fine
Cat and dog owners have been warned to microchip their pets, and make sure the details are correct, or risk facing a fine worth hundreds of pounds. It comes after Violet Cooper, from Dilton Marsh in Westbury, Wiltshire, was fined nearly £850 for failing to update the details on the database of her dog's her chow chow-type dog, was found by a member of the public in August 2024. Considered a stray, it was taken to a local vets to await collection by Wiltshire Council's Dog Warden Cooper, 38, soon arrived in search of her dog and was issued with a notice requiring her to update the microchip details within 21 days, but she failed to do so. 'Costly reminder' Last week she was found guilty at Salisbury Magistrates Court of failing to comply with the notice and was fined £220, the Local Democracy Reporting Service of £539.59 awarded to Wiltshire Council, along with a victim surcharge of £88, brought the total in fines to £ became compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped in April 2016, and for cats in Paul Sample of Wiltshire Council said: "Microchipping a cat or dog is a permanent way of identifying your pet if they get lost or stolen. "If your pet goes missing, our officers can scan the microchip and get them home safely."Hopefully, this outcome will act as a costly reminder to all dog or cat owners to ensure that their pet is microchipped and that details on the chip are up-to-date. "We will not hesitate to prosecute those who fail to comply."
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dog attack on Dorking farm sparks plea for lead usage
A dog attack which left a number of lambs seriously injured has sparked a warning from Surrey's deputy police and crime commissioner.A lamb had its top lip torn away in the attack earlier this month at a farm in Dorking, which previously lost almost 30 sheep in a single visiting the farm, Surrey DPCC Ellie Vesey-Thompson urged dog owners to keep pets on leads."Surrey is home to many responsible dog-owners who deeply cherish their pets. But even the most trusted of dogs can behave in surprising or shocking ways," she said. Vesey-Thompson warned of the "traumatising" effects of livestock worrying, which is a criminal offence in the UK and includes barking, chasing, biting and said: "While I'm pleased that the lamb is recovering well, others that were more seriously hurt remain critically unwell, and, despite excellent care and treatment, sadly may not recover."This is an absolutely horrific incident that could so easily have been prevented by the simple action of putting a dog on a lead."The National Sheep Association (NSA) said it was also important to ensure dogs were secure in the home or garden."Dogs straying from their own homes is another common cause of devastating sheep worrying attacks, potentially leading to sheep prolonged suffering until the impact of the incident is discovered," a spokesperson said.
