Our Founding Story
On May 3rd 2025, Penny Claus, a 15-pound chihuahua-mix, was brutally mauled by two violent dogs in New York City’s Upper West Side. The incident came only three months after their same two dogs murdered Grover, a 17-year-old, blind, shitzu-mix, and severely injured another dog in nearby Central Park.
In both cases, police told victims’ families there was nothing they could do – not even a report to fill out – because no crimes were committed, under the NY law dogs are legally considered property. This classification often renders law enforcement unable to take action unless a human is gravely injured, or a dog owner actively participates in the violence.
Tragically, Penny’s story is not unique. Countless dogs are severely injured, and even killed, in preventable and often repeated dog-on-dog attacks, at the hands of negligent owners.
