Dog days extended for NYCHA residents

The New York City Housing Authority announced Nov. 1 that it is extending the registration deadline for residents who currently own dogs weighing over 25 pounds to Jan. 25, 2010. Current residents had previously been required to register heavy dogs by May 1, but were concerned that they would be unable to meet the deadline, according to Heidi Morales of the NYCHA Department of Communications.

In light of a recent series of dog attacks, the New York City Housing Authority announced earlier this year that pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, and any dogs weighing over 25 pounds could not be newly purchased by residents of New York City public housing projects.

This rule further limited dog ownership in housing projects that had previously allowed dogs weighing 40 pounds or less to live there. Residents were allowed to keep current dogs weighing less than 40 pounds of any breed if they met the May 1 registration deadline.

But after being alerted by building managers that their dogs violated the 40-pound weight limit, many tenants were unable to register their dogs by May. Responses to this problem were mixed: some gave up their pets, while others secretly kept them.

Debora Bresch, senior attorney for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)—which is one of several organizations that makes up the Mayor’s Alliance for New York City Animals—said she hopes a resolution can be reached that would allow for registration past the current deadline.

“By saying that residents can’t have dogs over 25 pounds, you are basically saying that rescue dogs are not allowed in public housing, because most rescue dogs are over 25 pounds,” said Bresch, whose group found that many residents had taken their dogs to animal shelters because they feared losing their apartment for having a prohibited or unregistered dog.

Still, pushing back the deadline has not been a total victory for dog-loving tenants. They must continue to comply with the 40-pound weight limit, so owners of unregistered 60-pound dogs must still give up their dogs.

Some residents are concerned about the implications of the extension, and question the safety of allowing larger dogs to live in residential buildings.

“I’m scared of those huge dogs that live in here,” said Alexandra Roama, a resident of the NYCHA-controlled Frederick Douglass housing projects on West 104th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

“When I walk outside there are always pit bulls trying to get at me and bite me. I say if you really want to have a big dog, go find another residence. I am not in favor of any [dog deadline registration] extension. “

Charlia Hout, a former resident of the Frederick Douglass houses, echoed these sentiments, citing her concern about her family’s safety.

“Listen, I have kids, and one of the real dangers here is these dogs that are always lunging at them. I say, absolutely get them out of here,” she said.

But other residents feel an extension is warranted, and that such a ban should not have been instituted in the first place. “When I moved into these projects 58 years ago, you couldn’t even have a goldfish,” said Jorge Rodriguez, who lives in a Frederick Douglass house. “Then they kept letting more and more animals in until you could have dogs, and that was great. But now that they let them in, they can’t start putting restrictions on them.”

“I’m a dog lover, I love dogs—my nickname is Dog,” added Rodriguez. “I don’t care what size they are, they’re great animals. I am opposed to any kind of ban, period.”