In a bid to strengthen legal protections for pet owners, Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar has introduced “Penny’s Law,” new legislation aimed at holding negligent dog owners criminally accountable when their pets cause harm to other animals.
The bill, announced this week, seeks to close a legal loophole that has left many families devastated after violent dog-on-dog attacks, with little or no legal recourse.
Named after Penny, a Chihuahua who was mauled on the Upper West Side this past weekend by two pitbulls allegedly off leash, the bill responds to what advocates call a growing public safety concern. Penny was hospitalized following the attack.
The same pitbulls are believed to have killed another dog in Central Park earlier this year under similar circumstances—off leash and with the owner fleeing the scene. These cases, along with dozens of similar incidents across New York City, have drawn attention to the limitations of existing law, which often provides no path for justice unless a person is injured.
Rajkumar’s proposed legislation would create several new criminal offenses, including cruelty to animals through negligent handling of a dog and fleeing the scene of an animal attack. It would also impose harsher penalties on repeat violators of leash laws who allow their dogs to roam unsupervised or act aggressively.
Under current state law, dogs are classified as “property.” As a result, law enforcement is often unable to take action unless a human is injured or the dog owner actively participates in the violence. Many dog owners only learn of this legal limitation after reporting an attack and being told by police that no charges can be filed.
Rajkumar, who represents District 38 which encompasses the neighborhoods of Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and Woodhaven in Queens, said the absence of accountability allows reckless owners to repeatedly endanger others.
“Anyone who has known the love of a dog knows they are much more than ‘property’: they are family. The fact that it is not a crime for someone to let their dog kill or injure your family member is a glaring injustice that needs fixing now,” she said.
“Penny’s tragedy and numerous others are 100% preventable if negligent dog owners know they cannot get away with it. When Penny’s Law passes, we will end these tragedies for good, showing that we are a society that values and cherishes our canine family.”
Lauren Claus, Penny’s owner, has become a vocal advocate for the legislation. She expressed her support on social media: “This is my baby girl. She is a fighter. I need these people to be brought to account.” Claus also gave her approval for the bill to be named in Penny’s honor.
Penny’s case is not an isolated one. Just days before the attack, another off-leash dog injured both a person and another dog in Riverside Park. In that incident as well, the dog’s owner fled the scene.
On the Upper East Side, a local bookstore operator’s dogs have reportedly attacked at least four other pets, including one that was euthanized after sustaining severe spinal injuries. Even members of Rajkumar’s team have been impacted—her Senior Advisor’s dog was attacked twice by the same animal, which was reportedly off leash on both occasions.
The widespread failure to enforce leash laws continues to fuel these incidents. In 2025 alone, New York City’s 311 system recorded over 1,300 complaints involving off-leash dogs—a figure animal advocates say underrepresents the true scale of the problem. Off-leash dogs not only endanger others but also risk their own safety by running away or being struck by vehicles.
The bill number for Penny’s Law has not yet been assigned, but momentum is building to address the legislative void and provide justice for victims like Penny, while holding negligent dog owners accountable under the law.
