Two pit bull mixes with a long record of violence must be handed over to New York City authorities for behavioral assessments and possible humane euthanasia, a Manhattan judge has ruled. If their owner, Joseph Columbus, does not comply, law enforcement is authorized to seize the dogs.
Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond’s order follows two separate attacks involving the dogs, Rambo and Zooey, on the Upper West Side and in Central Park. In May, the pair allegedly mauled Penny, a 16-pound Chihuahua mix who serves as a service animal. The incident came just months after a January attack on two Shih Tzu mixes, Grover and Chuckie, that left 17-year-old Grover so severely injured he was later euthanized.
Under the ruling issued Wednesday, Columbus, 40, must surrender both dogs to the city for evaluations by Animal Care Centers of NYC and/or the Health Department. The court reserved the option to order humane euthanasia depending on the outcome of those assessments. The decision also requires Columbus to pay for the evaluations and any training once the animals are in the city’s permanent custody.
Columbus was previously ordered to keep the dogs muzzled and on leashes following the January incident but allegedly failed to follow those directives, according to court papers. Authorities say he has dodged attempts to bring the dogs in, even leaving his child’s school graduation in June to avoid arrest. Later that month, he did not produce Zooey or the 100-pound Rambo to police and refused to open his door when officers arrived.
The judge also ordered Columbus to reimburse nearly $22,000 in veterinary costs to Lauren Block, the owner of Grover and Chuckie. Attorney Mollie Swears, who represents Block as well as Penny’s owners, Devon Allen and Lauren Claus, said the ruling was a long-awaited outcome for the victims.
Columbus could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Ikiesha Al-Shabazz, said her client only owned Rambo and surrendered the dog when civil suits were filed in May. Al-Shabazz claimed both she and Columbus were targeted with threats and racial slurs after the case gained public attention.
Separate from the attacks, Columbus is facing eviction from his grandmother’s apartment on Columbus Avenue. Court filings from the landlord allege that Rambo and Zooey were involved in another biting incident in March and that the dogs caused significant property damage, including chewed cabinets, walls, and baseboards, along with a persistent urine odor. The eviction case remains pending.
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