Lynda Hudson, the notorious owner of a former UES book store–and a German Shepherd with a violent history of dog-on-dog aggression–is under fire after her dog Syko attacked a new victim on Friday, August 16. The 98-pound white German Shepherd and two other large dogs attacked an 11-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and its 71-year-old owner as they walked down the street.
In a shocking video published by the New York Post, dog owner Lucy Davis can be seen dropping to the ground and curling her body around her dog, Oscar, in an attempt to protect it from three German Shepherds. The dogs had apparently escaped from a nearby parked car and lunged at the pair.
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“The door flew open and these three giant dogs started attacking us,” Lucy Davis told the Post. Several passersby stopped to intervene and protect the dog and owner while a man wearing glasses rounded up the muzzled Syko and other dogs back into the car.
Syko is one of five dogs owned by Lynda Hudson, owner and proprietor of La Librairie des Enfants, a store for French children’s books once located at 163 East 92nd Street. The store was due to relocate to a new space in the West Village, but it’s currently unclear what’s happening with that.
The history of dog attacks at La Librairie des Enfants has reaped negativity towards Hudson and her business as local dog owners have rallied to alert others about the dangerous canines. Commenters on the private Facebook dog group, Dogs of UES, criticized Hudson and warned fellow dog owners to steer clear of her business and her dogs. Some called for NYPD involvement, and for authorities to “really take this seriously.”
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Community members also took to the La Librairie des Enfants Yelp page after Friday’s incident, where one commenter summarized the most recent attack. “Owners dogs mauled another person & animal today. Ms. Hudson needs to be put down. Horrible irresponsible pet owners. Dogs jumped out of husband’s car & attacked. Husband jumps back in the car & flees. Don’t give these people a nickel.”
The Post also spoke with UES resident Tori Pratt, who reported that Hudson was present for the Friday attack and showed little consideration for the seriousness of the incident.
Hudson’s dogs have a troubled past that includes four separate dog attacks. May 2023 saw the first confirmed attack when Syko and his siblings injured a collie mix called Tarsila. Hudson reimbursed the owner for $850 in veterinary fees.
Shortly after, three of Hudson’s dogs (including Syko) attacked a 22-pound Cavachon named Chloe and a Maltipoo, Muppet. Chloe needed surgery costing over $6,000 after the incident, which led to a financial dispute over costs between Hudson and Chloe’s owner, Laurie Davis. Davis later sued Hudson in small claims court.
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In August 2023, Akiba Tripp was walking her toy poodle, Baby, when Syko attacked the dog and broke her spine. Sadly, Baby had to be euthanized due to the severity of her injuries. As a result of this attack, Hudson claimed she moved Syko and her other four German shepherds to a house in Westchester County so they wouldn’t be present at her store.
While the response to dog-on-human aggression is typically swift, the topic of dog-on-dog aggression is murkier with fewer clear legal guidelines. Hudson had expressed an intention to put Syko down over a year ago after the slew of dog attacks (one fatal) perpetrated by her canines. This seems to no longer be the case. Hudson at one point claimed her veterinarian had refused to put Syko down and was seeking other opinions. It is unclear what Hudson’s current intentions are for her dogs or her business.
The Upper East Side has long been a happy home and a safe place for dog owners to raise their pups. Unfortunately, it seems wise to take extra caution.
The business is no longer a presence on 92nd St so why were they in the area? And what has become of the application for a wine cafe at that site?
This is a case where the owner(s) should be put down. Disgusting abuse.
That may well be what happened but I watched the video and all I could see was where the cute-looking KCS “managed to escape unharmed.”
Don’t we need more evidence of aggression from the much-larger dogs than is shown on the video? As it is, it LOOKS like an overly dramatic septuagenarian?
Are we quite sure there is a story here?