With thanks to my friend P – on the dogs, Andy Newman in NYT:

‘The quaint little shop on the Upper East Side is New York City’s only store dedicated to French children’s books. But lately, the shop, La Librairie des Enfants, has earned a more sinister distinction: It has been the sometime home of Syko, a 98-pound white German shepherd with a penchant for eviscerating smaller dogs.
On Friday, Akiba Tripp was walking her seven-pound toy poodle, Baby, past the store when the owner opened the door and Syko lurched out, sank his teeth into Baby and broke her spine, Ms. Tripp said. Baby was euthanized that evening.
The attack followed two others in May in which Syko and his siblings injured three other dogs, their owners said. In recent months, the proprietor’s German shepherds — five of them, including Syko’s parents — had spent time in the basement and the main area of the store.’

(…)

‘Ms. Hudson, 58, acknowledged that she was at her wit’s end with Syko. “I tried everything with this dog, sir,” she said. “I tried behaviorists, and training. He’s great with people but he does not like other dogs.”’

(…)

‘Ten days later, another reviewer posted, “I was walking my 10 lbs Yorki and as we were passing by this shop, few German shepherds started barking, slamming to the glass windows covered in black plastic garbage bags. Then I see this nasty woman shouting in French, waving her hands to take my dog elsewhere!” The first confirmed attack by one of Ms. Hudson’s dogs was on May 3. Julia Schafer, a psychologist who lives next to the bookstore, said that her husband walked out of the building with their collie mix, Tarsila, who was set upon by Syko and two other dogs — Syko’s siblings, Ms. Hudson said.
“The white one bit her and held onto her,” Ms. Schafer said. Tarsila required surgery. Ms. Schafer said Ms. Hudson reimbursed her $850 for the vet bills.
Four days later, a 22-pound Cavachon named Chloe and her Maltipoo friend Muppet were walking by when Ms. Hudson’s dogs struck again.’

(…)

‘As they walked by the bookstore, Ms. Tripp said, “all of a sudden the door opens, a woman walks out, and two large dogs just bum-rushed us.” Neither was muzzled. The white dog, Syko, “had my dog literally within his mouth.” People ran over and tried to drag the dogs away. “Finally my dog was able to break free, but she couldn’t move — there was blood everywhere,” Ms. Tripp said.
Ms. Hudson walked Ms. Tripp and Baby to the vet. Ms. Tripp said the vet told her Baby would not walk again and would be in great pain and recommended euthanizing her. Ms. Hudson says she offered to adopt and rehabilitate Baby and that Ms. Tripp turned her down. Ms. Tripp said no such offer was made.
Ms. Tripp had Baby put to sleep, and Ms. Hudson paid the bill.’

Read the article here.

Unfortunately, not much in this excellent article about dog-on-dog violence is being said about the bookstore La Librairie des Enfants.

I will visit the bookstore as soon as I’ll be back in NYC.

I do hope that Syko is still alive, after all also dogs deserve second and third chances. Which is not to say that I don’t feel for Ms. Tripp and her dog Baby.

La Libraire des Enfants is a fitting name for a store where dog-on-dog violence is occurring regularly, at least until recently.