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ANIMAL WATCH - On June 6, Juliette, an off-leash Pit Bull, fatally mauled a tiny Chihuahua-Shi Tzu mix, named Forrest, in a New York Park, (shown above with owner trying to protect him) resulting in massive injuries from which he died on June 21, 2025).
“A family was left traumatized after a brown, off-leash pit bull came running down the entrance to Riverside Park at 83rd Street and attacked Forrest — a 13-pound Shih Tzu–Chihuahua mix — clamping its jaws around his neck and right eye as he lay sleeping. Forrest was leashed and in his owner’s care, resting on the grass as the family watched their two daughters, ages 6 and 8, play nearby,” ILTUWS announced.
ILTUWS also announced that Forest died from his injuries and that it had received confirmation Juliette was euthanized on Friday, June 21.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON EUTHANASIA OF ATTACKING DOG
An official statement by Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) affirmed, “After careful consideration, we have determined that the dog involved in the June 6 incident poses a significant safety risk to people and other animals. “Unfortunately, due to the severity of the aggression and the danger she presents, we have made the difficult decision that she is not a candidate for placement.”
This is honest and humane. However, in the trending politically correct shelters which benefit from large donations by national organizations, the public may find itself taking home an animal that does have dangerous tendencies or has been returned because of aggression, explainednaway as “circumstantial,” and they may experience a tragedy in their own home. This is why euthanasia is sometimes necessary for public safety rather than putting an unpredictable pet into a home.
Juliette’s owner, who is allegedly homeless, had the opportunity to reclaim the dog but never did — a factor that ultimately led to the Pit Bull’s euthanasia,” the ACC stated, adding that “While these decisions are never easy, our responsibility is to ensure the safety of the public, our staff, and the animals in our care. “I have to say, this is a devastating outcome for me. I’m extremely sad Juliette was put into this situation,” said Jennifer Busse, owner of Forrest, the tiny victim, wrote in an email to ILTUWS on Tuesday. “It’s just so unfair and extremely sad,” the Upper West Sider added, as rumors began circulating that Juliette might have already been euthanized.
Busse continued to say she feels the system for people managing their pets is broken. . .“This should never have happened…I have to say, this is a devastating outcome for me. I’m extremely sad Juliette was put into this situation.”
ILTUWS reported it spoke with Busse on Friday after receiving confirmation of Juliette’s passing. Busse, the victim’s owner and the mother of two daughters, aged 6 and 8, described the horrifying attack on their dog Forrest, stating she had attempted to protect Forrest by performing jaw thrusts and trying to prevent Juliette from shaking her dog, which could have broken Forrest’s neck, she said.
After about eight minutes, a Riverside Park employee said she “heard the screams and rushed over and dumped a jug of water — or possibly cleaning solution — on the Pit Bull, causing it to release its grip.” She then grabbed the dog as Busse rushed Forrest to urgent care, where doctors determined he had “suffered 14 puncture wounds and had gone blind in his right eye, which had popped out during the attack.”
ANIMALS ARE NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT
Why is a politically correct explanation given when a Pit Bull has attacked and injured a child or adult or, as in this case, killed a 13-lb. Chihuahua-mix? Animals respond with behavior—it is the only language they have, and all organizations or politicians involved with making decisions about or for animal shelters of any kind should be listening and must be dedicated to total honesty. But too often the pressure to please the political interests and corporate animal-organization donors results in those arranging adoptions also making excuses for visible warnings.
Euthanasia is not a bad word! Society worldwide today understands that any animal control agency will (and must) be making this difficult decision for many animals which just do not fit into the modern world, and euthanasia (peaceful sleep) by a simple injection is the only way to save others and itself--from prohibiting harm.
“No Kill” is Not What It Seems
”No-Kill” is a politically correct term which excuses hoarding in shelters and “rescues” and it is harmful to the animals, employees and the public which is led to believe that the problems of overpopulation are being cured. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Society is now adequately sophisticated to understand that euthanasia is a painless process done by a single injection in most shelters and is for theeine benefit of the animal and society if an animal is irremediably ill or shows aggression or any dangerous behavior. Shelters must also weigh the toll that is taken on the animal by the stresses of new dogs arriving constantly, not seeing or receiving care from one individual regularly, often having barely enough space to stand and sit, and always beein peered at by strangers.
The other factor that must be primary and in conjunction with necessary euthanasia, is spay/neuter to stop births. This is not only through mandatory spay/neuter of shelter animals, but primarily by restricting breeding and sales of dogs and cats in homes and by “professionals, whose only goal is to produce more animals for sale. Many will only buy a purebred dog or cat in order to recover their investment and sell the offspring for profit. The laws for breeding must include strict limits and a permit to require sales tax to be collected.
A major concern for educated adopters or buyers is that dishonesty or incomplete disclosure about any animal’s undesirable propensities can result in injury to others and very expensive lawsuits. (See: Pit Bull ‘Meat Grinder’ Attack Lawsuit Filed Against City of LA for Mauling by Dangerous Adopted Dog.)
JUlIETTE’S OWNER WAS HOMELESS
Juliette’s owner, who is allegedly homeless, had the opportunity to reclaim the dog but never did — a factor that ultimately led to the Pit Bull’s euthanasia,” the ACC stated, adding that “While these decisions are never easy, our responsibility is to ensure the safety of the public, our staff, and the animal in our care. “I have to say, this is a devastating outcome for me. I’m extremely sad Juliette was put into this situation,” Jennifer Busse, owner of Forrest, the tiny victim, wrote in an email to ILTUWS on Tuesday. “It’s just so unfair and extremely sad,” the Upper West Sider added, as rumors began circulating that Juliette might have already been euthanized.
ILTUWS reported it spoke with Busse on Friday after receiving confirmation of Juliette’s passing. Busse, the victim’s owner and the mother of two daughters, aged 6 and 8, described the horrifying attack on their dog Forrest, stating she had attempted to protect Forrest by performing jaw thrusts and trying to prevent Juliette from shaking her dog, which could have broken Forrest’s neck, she said.
After about eight minutes, a Riverside Park employee said she “heard the screams and rushed over and dumped a jug of water — or possibly cleaning solution — on the Pit Bull, causing it to release its grip.” She then grabbed the dog as Busse rushed Forrest to urgent care, where doctors determined he had “suffered 14 puncture wounds and had gone blind in his right eye, which had popped out during the attack.”
HOW DO CHILDREN COPE WITH THE LOSS OF A PET KILLED BY A PIT BULL?
Busse, who reportedly works in the medical field, said she’s fortunate to have colleagues at work who have been advising her on how to handle the aftermath of the attack with her children. “They’re like child psychiatrists and said it’s not critical to tell them that the dog is dead,” Busse explained. Instead, they suggested using phrasing like, ‘She’s not going to come back and hurt you.’
“But they’re little, you know, six and eight. I think they’re young enough to just say, ‘Okay, well, my mom says it’s okay, so I can trust her,’” Busse said sensitively. “I didn’t feel like it was necessary to tell them — I think it would actually make them really sad,” according to the report.
Busse also thanked Shula Puder, chief of staff to City Councilmember Gale Brewer. ILTUWS stated that it “had been in contact with Brewer’s office since its original story was published, and a spokesperson confirmed they had already been actively working on the matter.”
On Friday, Councilmember Brewer issued the following statement, “My goal is to improve the way city government responds to dog attacks and prevents them from happening again. New Yorkers need a straightforward way to report incidents, and the city agencies involved — the Department of Health and the NYPD — must respond in a coordinated manner and communicate with victims. My role in recent incidents has been facilitating communication between all parties and, at the same time, pursuing legislation to formalize the process.”
After the announcement, Busse said the news brings her some closure, but she is trying not to start spiraling into “what-ifs,” “Like, if we hadn’t gone to the park that day, this wouldn’t have happened… It’s easy to relive these sorts of things — they’re traumatic. But you can’t live like that. You’ve got to put it in the hurt locker and move on. You have to. There’s no other choice.”
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch.)
