Owner of vicious pit bulls with long history of attacks ordered to turn dogs over to NYC for potential euthanasia
**Finally, Some Ruff Justice: NYC Pit Bulls Ordered Surrendered After Deadly Attacks**
A Manhattan judge ruled this week that a notorious pair of NYC pit bull mixes must be surrendered to the city, evaluated, and possibly euthanized after they attacked three small dogs in two separate incidents—killing one.
If owner Joseph Columbus fails to turn over Rambo and Zooey, who mauled a Chihuahua named Penny in May on the Upper West Side and attacked two Shih Tzu mixes—killing one—in January in Central Park, law enforcement can seize the animals, Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond decided Wednesday.
Columbus, 40, of the Upper West Side, must also pay for evaluations and training for Rambo and Zooey once they’re in “permanent” city custody. Additionally, he is ordered to reimburse Lauren Block, the owner of Shih Tzus Grover and Chuckie, nearly $22,000 in veterinary bills, court papers show.
“The court reserves its right to make a finding for humane euthanasia, based upon the evaluations performed by ACC and/or [the city Health Department],” according to the decision.
Columbus has allegedly been evading authorities for months and reportedly ducked out of his child’s school graduation in June to avoid arrest, a city sheriff’s deputy claimed. In June, Columbus failed to bring Zooey and the 100-pound Rambo to the police, then later refused to open his door or answer the phone when law enforcement came to take the dogs.
The attack on Penny, a 16-pound Chihuahua mix and service dog, occurred about five months after the pair savagely attacked Grover and Chuckie. The 17-year-old, 12-pound, blind Grover was so seriously injured he had to be euthanized, court records showed.
Columbus was ordered to keep the dogs leashed and muzzled after the January attack but allegedly failed to comply, according to the judge.
“This week, justice prevailed,” said attorney Mollie Swears, who represents Block and Penny’s owners Devon Allen and Lauren Claus.
Columbus could not be reached for comment. His attorney, who previously accused the victims of lying about the dogs biting a person as well, told The Post that Columbus only owns Rambo and gave him up when he was sued by the victims in May.
“On the very first day that he appeared, he told the court he did not have the dogs. As far as I know, he still doesn’t,” insisted lawyer Ikiesha Al-Shabazz, claiming both she and Columbus were threatened and subjected to racial slurs as the case made headlines.
Columbus is currently facing eviction from his grandmother’s Columbus Avenue apartment, where court records show Rambo and Zooey were involved in another incident in March.
“Dogs owned and controlled by Joseph Columbus bit a dog owned by the tenants in PHA creating an unsafe environment in which those tenants vacated,” the landlord wrote in court documents.
The dogs also caused “extreme damage,” chewing through kitchen cabinets, walls, floors, and baseboards. “The smell of urine in the unit was very evident,” the landlord claimed.
The eviction proceeding is ongoing. A lawyer for the landlord did not respond to a message seeking comment.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/25/us-news/owner-of-nyc-pit-bulls-accused-of-mauling-penny-the-chihuahua-ordered-to-surrender-dogs/
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