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In July, we reported that Joseph Columbus had skipped court dates and eluded an arrest warrant stemming from multiple dog attacks carried out by his pit bull mixes, Rambo and Zooey.
A Manhattan judge has now ruled that the dogs linked to the January and May attacks are “dangerous” under New Yorks Agriculture and Markets Law and ordered their owner, Joseph Columbus, to surrender them within three days of being served with the order.
The October 22 decision concludes that Rambo and Zooey seriously injured two companion animals and killed a third without justification. The ruling stems from a January 4, 2025 attack in Central Park that fatally injured Grover, a Shih Tzu mix, and severely hurt another Shih Tzu mix, Chuckie, and a May 3, 2025 attack near West 85th Street and Columbus Avenue that left Penny, a Chihuahua, with deep lacerations and more than 48 hours of hospitalization.
The plaintiffs, Lauren Block for Grover and Chuckie and Devon Allen and Lauren Claus for Penny, filed their case on May 27. After several hearings over the summer and early fall, the judge ruled that the evidence was strong enough to prove the dogs were dangerous
What the order requires is straightforward. Columbus must contact law enforcement within three days of service to arrange the turnover of Rambo and Zooey. The transfer must be completed within three days of that contact. If he does not comply, the NYPD, the sheriffs office, or any authorized peace officer is directed to seize the dogs anywhere in New York and deliver them to Animal Care Centers of NYC. The dogs will be spayed or neutered and microchipped, placed in the permanent custody of the City through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and ACC for secure, humane confinement, and evaluated by a certified behavior expert. The court reserved the right to order humane euthanasia based on those evaluations. Columbus must also report the presence of the dangerous dogs as required by law and cooperate with enforcement.
The court held Columbus strictly liable for $21,697.26 in veterinary expenses incurred by Lauren Block for Grover and Chuckie, plus statutory interest to be computed by the Clerk upon entry of judgment. For Penny’s medical costs, testified to as $12,392.95, the court did not order reimbursement because some expenses were covered by pet insurance and a GoFundMe campaign. The judge rejected the argument for full recovery on this record.
The decision recounts a months-long sequence of orders and attempted turnovers that went unheeded. After a preliminary finding in March 2025 by the City’s Health Department that the dogs were dangerous, with requirements that included basket type muzzles in public, violations continued into June. The court issued an initial seizure and turnover order on June 4, 2025, warned of contempt, and heard testimony from witnesses and plaintiffs about both attacks, including video of Grover’s mauling and photographs and medical records documenting Penny’s injuries.
The court found the plaintiff’s evidence credible on the injuries and circumstances and concluded that none of the statutory justifications, such as self-defense or provocation, applied. The judge also determined that Columbus qualified as an owner of both dogs under the statutes harboring and keeping definition, even as he tried to distance himself from Zooey’s ownership. Given repeated noncompliance, the court wrote that it could not rely on him to follow future restraint or muzzling requirements and adopted stronger measures to protect the public.
Following the decision, Penny’s owner wrote on Reddit that the ruling was in their favor and that the next step is getting the dogs surrendered on the court’s timeline. The post adds that if that does not happen, they hope a warrant will be issued so the dogs can be seized, and that they may hire a private investigator to work with the sheriff’s office.
As we reported on July 14, court filings also described Columbus missing multiple appearances and detailed efforts to locate him. This new order brings the civil dangerous dog case to a turning point. Either the dogs are turned over within the deadline, or law enforcement is authorized to seize them anywhere in the state.
We will continue to follow enforcement of the order and any updates from ACC or the Health Department on the behavior evaluations and next steps.
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