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Well, a rally at City Hall today calling on new legislation to be passed in honor of Penny the
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dog. Okay, she's the chihuahua we're looking at here who was brutally attacked by two pit bulls
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on the Upper West Side earlier this month. And Fox size Anton Lewis explains how this new bill
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hopes to put some teeth into penalties for irresponsible pet owners. Covered in stitches
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yet her tail still wagging, Penny the chihuahua helped put a face on Friday's rally held in her
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honor. Our focus now must be on removing these dangerous dogs from the streets
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holding the owner accountable. Animal lovers, dog parents, and concerned stakeholders gathered in City Hall Park in support of Penny's Law
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proposed state legislation in which irresponsible pet owners get criminal charges, including cruelty to animals
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through negligent handling of a dog and leaving the scene of an animal attack
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State Assemblymember Jennifer Rashkumar is sponsor of the bill. Real criminal penalties for people who let aggressive dogs attack other dogs
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It will create consequences for leaving the scene of an animal attack
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It will crack down on people who keep letting their dogs off leash illegally over and over again On May 3rd Penny was viciously attacked by two pit bulls while out for a walk near West 85th and Columbus
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Her family, which includes a Fox 5 contract employee, says the attack was unprovoked
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Witnesses say after the attack, the dogs in question and their owner, seen here in the video wearing red shorts
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simply walked away, leaving onlookers horrified and 16-pound Penny, an emotional support animal, fighting for her life
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She has lacerations, puncture wounds, marks, scars, and cuts, all required emergency surgery and $11,000 in bed bills
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Fox 5 obtained this video of another dog attack that the anonymous sender says is the same two pit bulls that attacked Penny
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Reportedly, the owner again did nothing and again left the scene. Supporters of the bill say dogs are considered property under current state laws
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and that police rarely investigate dog attacks. Penny's Law would address that as well
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They also pose significant public safety risks. These dogs are not just risks to other dogs
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They're risks to other people as well. Antoine Lewis, Fox 5 News
