BORN TO DIE - the "pitbulls" of NYC Remembering six-month old Lola
Elizabeth Forel
BORN TO DIE - the "pitbulls" of NYC Remembering six-month old LolaCan we develop a new humane paradigm?
I confess. I am a “Cat Person.” Indisputably. Those are my two fur babies, Dorsey and Sophie, in my profile pic to the upper right. But I also adore dogs, although I’ve never lived with one. And I have a particular fondness for pitbulls - the underdog. This article is devoted to them. My trigger was a six-month-old pup named Lola – dumped at the NYC Animal Care Center (ACC) in Queens #247295. Frightened. Terrified. Just a baby and a pitbull mix – a terrible mark against her. A death sentence. She lived with two adults and some children and was given up because she was “too active.” (imagine - a puppy being too active!) According to her records, she was not spayed and not house-trained. No surprise there.
Lola came into the Queens ACC in late February and was soon placed on the Emergency Placement List (EPL). She had a difficult time adjusting to her new life, with all the loud noise and chaos — hard on any dog, but especially for a puppy with only six months of life experience. But no one came for her, and she was euthanized on March 28th. Her life mattered – at least to me. This is a video of Lola at the ACC in her green tutu. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1474589914677700 EMERGENCY PLACEMENT LIST (EPL) The dogs and cats on the EPL are only available to New Hope Rescuers. These animals are considered at risk of being euthanized due to high-stress behavior or acute illness. More than 300 New Hope organizations are listed on the ACC website. However, to pull one of the animals from the EPL, they must have a foster home available. MARCH NUMBERS In March, 120 dogs were put on the EPL. Of those, 52 were pulled by New Hope; 17 were reclaimed, and 44 euthanized. Most were pit bulls or pitbull mixes. In contrast, 48 cats were put on the EPL in March. Of those, 7 were adopted, and the rest (except for a couple who were removed from the list) were pulled by New Hope rescuers who will find permanent homes for them. None were euthanized. This is typical. Most dogs and cats don’t do well in the shelter environment. Cats are caged, get depressed, and turn inward. Dogs are social pack animals, and when in a stressful environment, such as when being walked, they bark, can react badly to other dogs, and negative behavior is more noticeable.
WHO IS TO BLAME? I don’t blame the ACC for killing animals. The continued blaming of this often questionable, often incompetent, and non-transparent organization does not help the issue. They are the foot soldiers who take their marching orders from the Dept. of Health via a city contract dating back to 1995 requiring them to do just that. Euthanize animals. They do what they are supposed to do and don’t go further. They are not activists. They don’t question - they do as they are told per the contract. That is what they get paid for. We need to focus on what we can do for real progressive change. The ACC is also responsible for adoptions. But with the chronic overpopulation problem of both cats and dogs, there are simply not enough good homes available. Many landlords will not allow pets — especially aggressive dog breeds. The real problem is people, including those who bred Lola. Pitbulls are prohibited in many apartment buildings, including the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA). NYCHA is one of the worst offenders, allowing its tenants to violate the “pet policy” almost since its inception in 2010. They are among the most egregious offenders of backyard breeding. NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in North America and provides needed, affordable housing to qualified people across more than 335 developments in all five boroughs. Most of NYCHA’s funding comes from the federal and city governments, with about 19% from residents. Their pet policy allows one dog or one cat per apartment. Dogs must be 25 pounds or less. Pitbulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans are not allowed. Animals must be spayed or neutered. Blah blah blah. I’ve always thought the policy was too restrictive, but it’s not enforced anyway, so it does not matter. And NYCHA management does nothing about it. (That is the subject of a future substack.) On March 31, the Patch, NY, reported that a pit bull was shot and killed by police after the dog attacked its owner in a Queens apartment building. It mentioned the address as 4-14 Beach 58th St. in the Rockaways. I checked online and was not surprised to see that it was a NYCHA development. Ocean Bay Apartments in Bayside. The article referred to the dog as “dangerous,” but did not go into the details of how it all happened. ELECTED OFFICIALS - Our elected officials, especially in the NYC Council, also share a big responsibility for not caring enough to become informed about the issue, and looking the other way. All Council members have an “overpopulation” issue in their district; most have at least one NYCHA development. But few take the time to understand and care about what happens to the animals at the shelter. When it comes to the ACC, which was created in 1995 and has been the subject of opposition and criticism since, the City Council is mostly ignorant and comfortable with the status quo. “Don’t rock the boat.”, “Leave well enough alone.” “Don’t make waves.” “Don’t invite trouble.” This is pretty much how the City Council has handled this issue for the last 30-plus years.
ACC STATISTICS FOR 2025 The chart below shows the “Shelter Animals Count Data” for 2025 at the ACC. Many more cats than dogs are surrendered – 10,011 cats vs 5,965 dogs - and many more are euthanized. This list does not identify those cats and dogs on the Emergency Placement List, but their numbers are part of this list
WHAT CAN BE DONE: We can’t adopt our way out of this crisis. There are too many animals and not enough good homes. Many apartment buildings (rental and co-op) do not allow pets at all - particularly breeds like pitbulls – yet these animals continue to be bred, born to die. While many are sweet and gentle, many are also trained to be vicious and engaged in dogfighting, which often uses small animals as bait. Pit bulls are here to stay. And killing them off is not the solution. If we don’t do something progressive and humane, the status quo will continue with periodic media articles about pit bulls attacking people and small dogs; illegal dog fighting rings; pit bulls continuously dumped at the ACC, whether directly or by the NYPD; and most ending with euthanasia. Is this OK with the public? As a society, we can’t keep looking the other way. Or maybe we can, and we should all give up and accept the status quo. “It is what it is.” These are some ideas.
Out of the Pits in Albany advocates for pit bulls. This is from their website: “We seek to educate the public about the true nature of the American Pit Bull Terrier and to make them aware that they used to be one of America’s favorite breeds of dogs. Our efforts are aimed at restoring the breed to its former position of esteem in the hearts and minds of people everywhere.” Take a look at their programs. They include positive media coverage, elementary and secondary school workshops, public education clinics, and therapy dog programs. Yes - all of this will take lots of work - creativity, advocacy, persistence, interest, and willingness to change the system. Or we can continue to kill the pit bulls and others at the ACC — it is our choice.
RIP PRECIOUS LOLA You mattered!
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