Imagine just walking your dog, minding your own business, on what appears to be a normal day, then a woman gets in your way for the purpose of stereotyping you for your appearance and skin color, and even going as far as endangering your dog. It’s unthinkable isn’t it?
Well, back in July 2021, a woman was reported trying to harm a dog in the streets of lower Manhattan. The incident occurred in broad daylight and was witnessed by a bystander. The woman was seen luring the dog into oncoming traffic by clapping her hands and running to the middle of the road. The woman, dubbed as “Downtown Karen,” did this in addition to spewing racial slurs at Andy Yang, the owner of the Cockapoo the woman was allegedly trying to harm. Fortunately, one of the bystanders who saw this happening intervened, saying that Downtown Karen should leave Yang and his dog alone.
Yang was adjusting his dog’s collar when the woman approached them and allegedly started telling Yang that he cannot walk his dog without a leash. However, Yang’s recording of the incident may imply more than that as the woman’s statements were accompanied by racial comments saying that Yang, who is of Asian descent, “should go back to his country.”
Yang told Eyewitness News that he and his Cockapoo Boba both grew up in New York, adding that he doesn’t understand why the woman was harassing them. It was apparent to the bystander who intervened that the woman was acting out of racial bias.
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Fortunately, that was all that transpired between the Yang, his dog Boba, and the woman. Despite Boba falling for the woman’s tactics on her second attempt to lure Boba into the middle of the street, the New York-bred Cockapoo and his owner Yang are safe.
However, Yang and Boba’s encounter with the woman was not the first incident where “Downtown Karen” has displayed racially based behavior towards people of Asian heritage. A video of “Downtown Karen” allegedly harassing an Asian woman at a park, saying explicitly racial comments, and even spitting in the woman’s face.
“Karen” is a nickname that is given to people who causes scenes by irrationally acting out in public places, usually towards people of color or service workers. While there hasn’t been new incidents involving “Downtown Karen,” Yang wishes for his community to become aware of the woman known as Downtown Karen and hopes she apologizes not only to him but also to the Asian community and the dog community.
Luring a Dog into Traffic May be Punishable by Law
The PACT Act, which stands for Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, is a law in the United States that makes purposely harming or killing animals in a cruel way a federal crime. This means that people who intentionally hurt animals can be punished by the federal government, not just by state or local governments. The law aims to protect animals from serious abuse and makes sure that those who hurt animals will face serious consequences, including fines and prison time. The goal of the PACT Act is to prevent animal cruelty and ensure that animals are treated with kindness and respect.
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What Actions Are Considered Punishable Under the PACT Act?
Intentional harmful behavior that leads to:
- Crushing, drowning, burning, or suffocating any non-human mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian
- Subjecting animals to any other type of serious bodily harm
While the woman from the “Downtown Karen” incident didn’t receive any punishment for her actions, had she succeeded in harming the dog, she would have been found guilty of a federal crime under the PACT Act.
