By Julia Shipley
Joseph Columbus, the accused owner of two pit bulls that attacked multiple dogs on the Upper West Side over the past year, was arrested in a New York County courtroom on Thursday for civil contempt due to his failure to surrender the animals after a court order to do so.
The arrest comes after Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond ordered Columbus to surrender the two dogs, Rambo and Zooey, in October.
“You’ve taken no responsibility,” Perry-Bond said on Thursday. “My order was clear.”
Judge Perry-Bond ordered Columbus to be incarcerated for 90 days, starting on Thursday, or until he complies with the court’s order. That order requires Columbus to provide the location of the dogs, Rambo and Zooey; to provide contact information for whomever has the two dogs; and to get the dogs into the custody of New York City Animal Care and Control.
Before his arrest on Thursday, Columbus told the judge that his second cousin picked up Rambo shortly after the attack last May on Penny the chihuahua. According to Columbus, the cousin took Rambo to Canada. Columbus said Zooey, the other pit bull, did not belong to him but to his ex-girlfriend, who took Zooey to an unknown location.
“I’ve got no dog to give,” Columbus told the court. “I’m being treated worse than a murderer or a pedophile. I want my life to come back to normal.”
“This is an extreme measure,” Columbus’ attorney, Ikiesha Al-Shabazz said of the ruling, “I’m shocked and appalled.” She told WSR on Thursday night that she was filing an immediate emergency appeal.
Columbus added he had been in a scooter accident that required surgery that also had made it difficult for him to comply with the judge’s orders. Columbus appeared at only two of the nine court dates set between May and October in the civil suit against him. Among the court dates he failed to keep was one on October 22, when the judge declared the two dogs “dangerous” and ordered Columbus to surrender them within three days.
The prosecution reminded Columbus of an interview he did on June 17, 2025, in which both dogs are seen, indicating that Rambo was not taken to Canada shortly after the May attack.
“We hope people find comfort in seeing that no one is above the law and recourse is available if you or your pet is attacked by another dog,” Mollie Swears, the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs in the case against Columbus, told West Side Rag. “However, in my opinion, it’s also made clear that there’s room for improvement in this area. If there’s indisputable evidence that a dog seriously injures or kills another dog, it shouldn’t take six months and hundreds of hours of work by attorneys to have that dog declared dangerous.”
Lauren Claus, the co-owner of Penny, told West Side Rag that she was “beyond thrilled with the judge’s discernment and making sure justice is served.”
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Well written article.
Agreed. Thanks to WSR for staying on top of this story and for the update.
This man is low class trash. Full stop. I hope he rots in jail. He is clearly playing games and thinks he is above the law. It took a while but I’m glad there are finally consequences for his awful behavior.
If I recall an earlier story mentioned him avoiding the police while at a school event for his kid(s). I feel very bad for them but he has brought this upon himself.
1. I doubt he will actually do jail time.
2. He does not care about the laws.
3. Laws in NYC are not really enforced anymore.
4. Not enforcing quality of life issues is what breeds this type of behavior.
People voted for our legal system to be administered by Alvin Bragg, these are the results.
He is actually in jail now, and will stay there at a cost to him of $250/day for 90 days or until the dogs are in state custody.
I know this guy, he is laughing his butt off, and so are his dogs.
He’s in jail.
He’s being fined $250/day until the dogs are surrendered.
I doubt he’s laughing.
They don’t use AI here. It really makes a difference.
Finally they got him!
Trump will pardon him.
He can’t.
No, he won’t. He isn’t white.
He’s pardoned plenty of people who aren’t white.
Good point.
No it isnt
Santa Claus got a nice gift for Lauren Claus this Christmas!
UWSers love their doggies and Joseph Columbus is sure to be ostracized in the community!
Meanwhile, the majority white affluent dog owners break the law everyday with no repercussions. Dogs are off-leash in the parks in all areas at all times even where they are never allowed off-leash, and 99.9% of these owners have zero ability to recall their animals because none are trained properly. They’re brought into food stores and supermarkets regularly in violation of the law. They urinate and defecate on buildings, treee plantings and in the middle of the sidewalks. If you dare speak to these “neighbors” about any of this, you will likely face a stream of vitriol.
What exactly is your point? Those dogs haven’t attacked people
Maybe white owners wouldn’t have such harsh consequences, but they sure as hell should.
Also. Shockingly I have seen white owners clean after their dogs. And Asian owned who clewn after their dogs, and some who don’t.
There are a lot of irresponsible dog owners out there,
Meanwhile, white affluent drivers break the law every day by speeding with no repercussions.
Do you have a point?
A cop told me there are rich entitled people and poor entitled people! NYC’s problem — everybody is entitled.
Mauling other dogs is not the same as some friendly dog off their leash in the middle of the afternoon in Central Park.
A few years ago, an off leash dog collided with my wife, and she needed a full ACL…she is now terrified to walk in the park because of all the off-leash dogs.
Peeing on a sidewalk vs. mauling other dogs. See the difference?
I’m a dog owner and I agree with some of what you say. I’m also annoyed by people who don’t follow leash laws, intentionally put their dogs into flower beds to relieve themselves or don’t pick up after them. However, they have to relieve themselves *somewhere*. It’s unrealistic to expect them to hold it for blocks until they get to what you deem an appropriate place. I curb my dogs and pick up after them, and don’t allow them to pee on buildings or on tree beds that are filled with flowers or decorations. I’m not sure what more you want.
Meantime, Joe Columbus’ dogs have mauled and killed other dogs, and have also bitten at least one human. That individual apparently didn’t want to press charges, which is a shame because something might have been done about this horrible man much sooner if he had. Columbus also deliberately drove his vehicle up onto the sidewalk to evade police, endangering passersby, and tried to ram a police car. As others here have said, he is a public menace and an unrepentant liar. I’m glad he is finally experiencing consequences for his actions and I don’t think those actions are remotely comparable to the “crime” of a dog relieving itself in the wrong place. And don’t bring race or class into it. This guy is beyond entitled and arrogant, despite his sob stories as a desperate attempt to gain sympathy.
All is true and more. He will receive zero punishment. Ever.
Person In Custody Lookup
All dog owners should be required to carry a spray bottle of water/cleanser, such a burden, to rinse off the urine their dogs leave behind. The acid in the urine degrades whatever surface it is left on, particularly stone, which is not replaceable, and it of course encourages other dogs to pee in the same spot, increasing the wear. How hard is it, compared to picking up the poop in a plastic bag, which, by the way, is porous, which means your hands are filthy afterward? Maybe you should just get a cat. Dogs are just not appropriate in a built-up city environment.
Short of actual homicides, I recognize that NYPD doesn’t enforce laws anymore because they are way too entitled and lazy — but it’s still hard to believe that the cops didn’t take his efforts to aggressively evade them more seriously. If he attempted to ram a police car, you would think that would invite more concerted action on their behalf. I wouldn’t be shocked to discover that he didn’t have a real license plate, so they just gave up.
This is a microcosm of the larger conundrum in NYC right now, where the police are too entitled and lazy to enforce the laws, and the general public is too entitled and lazy to follow them. This mutually assured arrogance is seriously exacerbating pre-existing problems including (but not limited to) illegal parking, gridlock, ghost plates, and reckless driving. It is also significantly degrading the quality of life in the city. Everyone celebrating the continued reign of Jessica Tisch as NYPD commissioner should ask themselves if the current status quo for policing in NYC is where we really want to be? Is this really the best we can do? I write this as a recent victim of violent crime in which authorities had all the evidence they needed to take action, but dropped the ball for nonsensical reasons.
I’m sorry about what happened to you. But the city folks chased away the real NYPD for a decade and told the leftovers that if they really got involved and did anything even close to wrong they’d be sued, indicted, lose vacation time, receive civilian complaints, get fired etc.. Then they lowered physical, educational and even psychological standards to try and fill the ranks. What did you think was going to happen? What kind of police would an ordinary, reasonable and prudent person expect to get?
You hit the nail on the head. And after the wonderful people of NYC betrayed their Police Department because of George Floyd . The NYPD changed forever and in a very bad way.
This is a very inappropriate case of false equivalency and whataboutism. Mr. Columbus’ dogs have mauled and killed other peoples’ dogs. Breaking the “leash law” is not even in the same ballpark. What is your problem?
Totally agree with the grocery store point. I love dogs, but not that much!
Dogs also leave their scent behind in hallways and elevators, which poses a problem for anyone who is allergic. Dogs should not be allowed at all in the city.
You refer to “the majority white affluent dog owners”. You bring race into the discussion, but you give no reason whatsoever for doing so.
Every single dog owner I’ve had an argument with over fido urinating on my building or cavorting off-leash in inappropriate places and times HAS BEEN WHITE
That is your PERSONAL experience, and is called “anecdotal evidence,” which does not prove anything.
So you are afraid to argue with a person of color whose dog does those things?
This is a fact. Dogs owned by black people do not urinate
It is not equivalent to mauling a dog, but anyone who walks through Manhattan in summer will smell the stink of dog urine. It is everywhere. If you are not smelling it then you are stepping in it!
Could not agree more with Bill on this matter – as far as I am concerned — many dog owners ignore simple courtesy and hygiene – because – “It’s my dog?” Yes this scofflaw Columbus character is on the far end of bad dog owners but there are many more – bringing dogs into grocery stores (Wholefoods seems to welcome them – makes no sense- Target store here’s an owner with his dog IN THE SHOPPING C ART) – defecating in tree wells -bringing dogs to the grassy median beside Riverside Dr. to do their business – MANY off leash all the time in Riverside Park – this list goes on and on. Dog owners can do much better.
And for the record I am not a dog hater or animal loather – just someone who is fed up with the sense of entitlement of a large swath of owners.
In France people bring their dogs into groceries and even restaurants and no one has died of exposure to them!!
This is simply not true. I own an apartment in Paris and the law is basically the same.occasionally people CARRY a small dog in to a market. It is also irrelevant what the law is in France.
You must not spend much time at your Paris apartment. It is quite common to see dogs in restaurants and markets. They are not always carried.
Riverside is unacceptable. Got into it with a dogowner with their pet off-leash at 11 AM and their response was ‘what are you gonna do about it?’
When someone takes issue and throws a punch, THEN will Parks get involved?
NY Parks Police is even more feckless than the NYPD. They are totally and completely useless, you would have better luck praying to vishnu.
You have to call 311 over and over and over and over again and again and again and again…….
That’s very true
People are breaking the law when their dogs are off the leash. An off leash dog could run into the street and cause car accidents. If you want a dog in NYC, it should be a requirement to take a class in how to handle a dog in a major city.
It is a hazard to other dogs, pets. Dog owners assume they are the only ones who can bring their pets outdoors, but cats, snakes, birds, all other pets have an equal right to be brought outdoors, but are not safe. Of course, if you have a pet lynx, wildcat, bear or python, then the dogs aren’t safe. Keep your crapping pet at home. Stink up your own environment.
I don’t disagree. But schools should also teach kids how to deal w dogs on the street. I’ve had many kids run up to my dog, scaring her, wanting to pet her. If we’re going to require pet owners to take a class, kids should also learn too!
This. Is. Ridiculous. My two year old was bitten multiple times by an off leash dog at 2 pm in Central Park a few years ago. Tell me what I should have taught her to prevent the dog from running up to her and biting her repeatedly as she innocently played amongst cherry blossoms in an area that dogs weren’t supposed to be in and during a time when all dogs were supposed to be leashed. Children literally cannot play on the park because of the rampant violations of the laws around leashing and picking up poop. Even in children’s playgrounds that are explicitly designated as dog free, there are dog owners with dogs.
A few months later I was in line in at Barnes and noble with the same child in a stroller and a woman was allowing her dog to wander the check out line unleashed. I politely asked her to hold her dog’s leash and she screamed at me and my toddler to the point that we left the store extremely shaken.
Dogs do not have the same rights as children. I am confident no child has ever bitten or scratched your dog.
I teach my children to give dogs and their owners wide berth and to navigate around the piles of dog poop that litter the city because of dog owners who don’t follow the laws and don’t know how to train their dogs.
Your dog will never pay taxes or contribute to social security but my children sure will. What a totally absurd statement.
First kids need to learn HOW to walk on a sidewalk, but since their parents don’t know (texting), we’ll never get there. Staying away from dogs on a sidewalk is an ‘advanced’ concept!
This dog has mauled & killed.
False equivalency
I thought it was 99.6%,, but maybe your data is more current.
It is 99.75689 to be exact.
Do you really think this is the venue for “what about-isms”. He clearly owns two violent dogs and is not complying with court ordered actions. If he is going to miss a court date due to medical difficulties, his lawyer can get hearings moved.
I’m not saying the way some pet owners behave is not reprehensible, I loathe the people that think their dog is an accessory to go everywhere, but not being able to control your own violent animals is a much worse danger than a dog peeing on a building.
Who peed is your Cheerios, Bill? Lemme guess, Joseph Columbus?
A dog off leash or urinating on buildings is not remotely the same as one viciously attacking and nearly killing a smaller dog. And a dog pooping on the sidewalk is not equivalent to ignoring numerous court dates, not to mention violating court order.
The system may be inherently racist and class biased, but Columbus is not an example of that. He got exactly what he deserved. If anything, the court has been too lenient with him.
These dogs also killed a small dog in the park. But yeah, the same as peeing outside.
Often appreciate your contrarian views but this time you are a but much. Maybe this becomes your case law for which to go after all those affluent white neighbors and start affecting the change you want to see vs just complaining on WSR? Need to start somewhere and sounds like you now have a judge who is friendly to your views. Good luck!
These white owners you speak of don’t proudly buy breeds as a macho/violent status symbol and then avoid accountability when the dog mauls other dogs and humans.
Sure about that?
He is in the doghouse now
Excuses, excuses. He’s such a big man, with his big dogs and acts like a little crybaby. The victims suffered so much because of this monster. Ninety days should only be the start of his punishment.
1) This should’ve been done months ago.
2) No one believes his excuses.
3) 90 days is obscenely insufficient.
4) Arrest the attorney too.
His attorney is a scum for defending the indefensible, but probably can’t be prosecuted— breach of ethics?
arrest the attorney for what?
In “Pink Flamingos,” John Waters identified the crime of which that attorney is guilty.
There is a BIG difference in a dog being off leash or peeing on a tree or killing other dogs!! And not just one dog. The dogs obviously have a propensity for violence! And the owner doesn’t care what they do. It wasn’t an isolated incident! He didn’t cooperate with the authorities and avoided contact with Penny’s owner.
He should not be allowed to have any kind of pet!!!
The law states that dogs must be leashed and leashes not longer than 6′. A dog off the leash could cause an accident. The law is the law. The law is there for a reason. Nobody should be above the law.
He isn’t much of a human, either. Ninety days is ridiculous.
He won’t do 1 day
He’s on his third day at Rikers.
Mr. Columbus is a serial liar, and one of the worst human beings I have ever heard of. I am glad he is finally getting his due – though 90 days is “mercy” given both his own attitude and flip-off of the law and what his dogs have done to other dogs over the years. I hope that this sentence is solely for contempt, and that he will eventually receive a much longer one.
He knows very well where those dogs are, and they are NOT in Canada. He has lied so consistently that that is a given.
I hope the court stays vigilant in this matter, and dopes not slack of, giving him an opportunity to keep his dogs.
Finally, setting aside wondering why his wife was not also arrested, I am wondering if the NYPD or anyone else ever seriously looked into what seemed to be legitimate allegations of child abuse/endangerment as well.
Mr. Columbus is a real piece of work, and a menace to society. I hope they ultimately seize his dogs, and put him and his wife in jail for a good, long stretch.
lol he is not going to jail, she let him go until Thursday. He is not coming back on Thursday. Lol silly goose.
He doesn’t sound credible Maybe a jail stay will get him to comply with the law.
As an avid dog walker, you have to be vigilant of your surroundings and have a nice tight leash especially if you have a big dog like that. With that said, yes sometimes dogs can come up behind you and surprise you. It also seemed to me like the chihuahua owner shouldn’t have gotten so close. Most accidents to me seem like it’s from big dog owners who don’t know any better. They should treat them like AR-15s and ban them from ownership. I agree with others in that there were a lot of dogs unleashed in Central Park, but they’re often medium/small dogs. The big dogs seem to be the real issue here.
Canada LOL! Refuge for draft dodgers, fugitives, and bad doggies. I wonder if those pooches are beyond extradition. All kidding aside, they’re probably just over the line in Mt. Vernon.
It’s finally happened. Hell has frozen over.
Wow, you’re standing next to him and could only get a pic of the back of his head?
Would you have the cojones to say to this animal “please smile so I can get a good picture of you for WSR?” I sure wouldn’t.
Good, let him sit and think about the pain and horror he caused those dogs and their owners for the next three months, and he never should be allowed another pet again.
Don’t drop the soap, big guy.
Enjoy your time reflecting on how you evaded court rulings.
I’m “shocked and appalled “ at what a moron this guy has a lawyer.
What about the charges for endangering NYPD and innocent bystanders that he tried to hit driving his car on the sidewalk evading capture?
In addition to the other dogs injured and killed, Rambo and Zooey themselves are now very likely going to end up being euthanized because their owner is a violent jerk who couldn’t be bothered to train or control them. People like this just make my blood boil.
I just saw him walking these two dogs on the corner of 83rd and Columbus a few days ago
Lock him up
On Thursday he will have to surrender his dogs or go to jail for 90 days. LOL does anyone really believe this will happen. He is the hide and go seek champion of the UWS. He does not play by the same rules you do.
He was arrested in court and is being held at Rikers. So yes LOL I really believe it will happen.
I’m a little lightheaded aftertrr reading this. Did something resembling law enforcement happen? I’ll have some soup and fresh air then come back and try again.
The dogs should be put down. End of story.
And the owners of these dogs‼️
These people are bad people.
They should not be living amongst us they do not “fit in.”
Here on the Upper West Side, we run a respectable neighborhood. A respectable neighborhood in a safe, clean, well-maintained with pride. While respectable neighbors we are friendly, quiet, respectful of boundaries, helpful, communicative, and trustworthy, showing consideration for others’ privacy, property, and peace. We look out for each other without being intrusive. We build our community through small actions, and we contribute to a positive atmosphere where people feel secure and connected. These meaningful people have nothing in common as described above.
Billy Amato, CMP
Chair-person/President
The West 80th Street Block Association