Tenants on Ryer Avenue have reported ongoing issues with excessive dog barking and strong odors of urine. Earlier this week, at least a dozen small dogs reportedly ran into a shared hallway. Residents say the noise and smell spread through shared pipes, affecting sleep and prompting some to use air fresheners in the corridor. The building superintendent and several neighbors have described the situation as a potential animal-welfare concern.
According to News 12, neighbors have zeroed in on Apartment 1A as the likely source and say video appears to show more dogs than the tenant initially admitted owning. The tenant, identified by the outlet as Maria, first denied the animals were hers and later told reporters she owns seven Chihuahuas, insisting, "it's not too many Chihuahuas!" The superintendent says tenants are allowed only two pets, and the landlord and tenant are now battling it out in court while frustrated neighbors push for the situation to be brought under control.
ASPCA Steps In Amid Growing Concern
The ASPCA regularly assists in urban cruelty and neglect cases, stepping in with veterinary forensics, medical care and shelter support when animals are seized. The group recently cared for more than 20 Pomeranian-type dogs removed from a Brooklyn apartment and transported them to a recovery center for exams and treatment, per the ASPCA. Reporting on the ASPCA-NYPD partnership notes the organizations have presented thousands of suspected cruelty cases across the city in recent years, helping explain how large-scale complaints like this can move from neighbor tip to official investigation.
What the Law Says
Landlords can haul tenants into housing court to enforce lease clauses that ban or limit pets, but New York City law also includes a three-month "open and notorious" rule that can blunt a landlord's ability to evict over a pet if the owner knew about it and did not act within that window, as set out in the New York City Administrative Code. The state's residential tenants' guide further notes that renters are generally protected from eviction during a lease term unless they violate a substantial provision, though eviction is still possible if an animal causes damage or creates a nuisance, per the New York State Attorney General. All of that means the current housing case could decide both the tenant's future in the building and the fate of the dogs.
How Neighbors Can Report Concerns
Neighbors worried about animal welfare or an ongoing nuisance are urged to report it to 311 or, if a crime is in progress, to call 911. The city's animal-welfare pages explain that 311 connects callers to their local precinct and that serious complaints may be forwarded to the NYPD's Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad, per NYC Animal Welfare. City guidance also notes that the ASPCA often provides medical and behavioral support in these investigations but does not have enforcement powers; any enforcement or criminal case falls to police and prosecutors.
Residents who have photos or video are encouraged to preserve that evidence and consider sharing it with investigators so both the animal-welfare questions and the tenant disputes can be fully reviewed.
For now, it is unclear how many dogs, if any, remain inside Apartment 1A, as the landlord-tenant dispute plays out in court and the ASPCA probe continues. News 12 reports that neighbors are split between concern over how the animals are being cared for and mounting exasperation over the noise and odor. For the people living in the building, the coming weeks could bring a housing-court ruling or an animal-welfare action that finally settles both the canine chaos and the quality-of-life complaints swirling around Apartment 1A.
Editor's Note: The original article misstated the street name as Ryerson Ave, as opposed to Ryer Ave.
