Owner of pit bulls that mauled Penny the chihuahua skips court again

UWS pit bull attack: Owner failed to show up to court

The owner of two pit bulls that attacked a chihuahua on the Upper West Side did not attend today's court proceedings. FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en has more.

UPPER WEST SIDE - The owner of two pit bulls that have attacked multiple dogs continues to evade the courts.

Dog owner on the lam

What we know:

Joseph Columbus, the owner of the two dogs that attacked Penny the chihuahua earlier this year, did not show up for today's court proceedings, FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en reports. Columbus' lawyer was also missing today.

Columbus has now ignored several of the judge's orders to give possession of his pit bulls over to the New York Police Department (NYPD); the knowledge that the pit bulls are still on the streets makes her "worried for the safety of New Yorkers.

A warrant has been issued for Columbus' arrest.

The judge allowed parts of the case to continue in spite of Columbus' absence, including hearing testimony from Upper West Side resident Karen Kramer.

"Every day, people see me in the park, they're asking ‘What’s going on with the dogs? Have they been taken yet' So, the whole neighborhood is invested."

Upper West Side resident Karen Kramer

The parents of Penny did attend today's court proceedings – they had to pay over $11,000 in medical bills after the mauling. Their attorney, Mary Swears, told Chi'en, "It indicates that he, perhaps, has less confidence in his case then he would otherwise say to the media."

Swears added that they are asking Columbus to defend himself in court, rather than "wasting our time and wasting the court's resources."

The backstory:

A court order was issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene after Columbus' pit bulls allegedly attacked and killed another small dog in Central Park in January of this year.

Both orders were not complied with when Penny was attacked in the Upper West Side earlier this month. The punishment for noncompliance, according to the letter, is a misdemeanor, "subject to civil and/or criminal penalties, including forfeitures, fines and imprisonment."