Hounds from Hell -- the cloned dogs of Central Park

Gary Rintel, 45, seems to be a poster boy for irresponsible dog ownership, according to a feature in the New York Post.

Rintel is single, calls himself a writer, but admits he depends mostly on his trust fund to support him in his privileged self-indulgences.

He loved his dog Astro so much that he had his DNA frozen. When Astro died he paid $140,000 four years ago to have the DNA inserted into a donor egg that was implanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother.

That’s how Astro's clones, Cosmo and Retro, a mix of short-haired Collie and Great Pyrenees, were born.

Rintel takes his dogs on daily three-hour walks, allowing them to roam free in Central Park and city streets, sometimes walking a block or so ahead of or behind the dogs, according to witnesses.

He readily admits to flaunting leash laws and has paid $2000 in fines in the past year.

“If you were a dog, would you want to live with a rope around your neck?” he told The Post. “I don’t think most people care about their dogs’ happiness. Sometimes I’m guilty of breaking that law.”

Neighbors report that Rintel ignores the dogs or screams at them as if they can understand what he is saying. The clones have attacked other dogs and bitten people, but still they roam. And Rintel is in full denial, calling them “good boys” and claiming that everyone is making up stories.

“This is a tragedy waiting to happen,” said one man who claims the dogs charged at his puppy and bit his hand. “The city knows about this problem and does nothing. The law has no teeth, so to speak.”

The article doesn’t mention whether Rintel picks up after his dogs, but judging from pictures of them, unless he puts the droppings in his pocket, I’m betting on NO.

As long as Rintel is a source of income for the city and his trust fund holds out, the situation will probably continue until some human or some dog is seriously injured. This is exactly the sort of person who gives dog owners a bad reputation and causes more laws to be passed which punish responsible people and well behaved dogs. More of the story

Comments

[Sherry in MT]

Figures he's above the law cuz he's rich most likely. I HATE (there I said it) irresponsible dog owners that flaunt it. Grrr....

[Jodi]

Truthfully, I would clone my dog if I had the money, IN MY DEFENSE, I actually consider myself to be a pretty good dog owner, plus I work on training my dogs and don't like them out of my site. I do let them loose in the woods, but I would never do that in a city, never mind one the size of NYC.

The city needs to grow a pair of balls and do something about it, the fact they are aware of his transgressions and refuse to do anything about it make them culpable in a lawsuit, when the dogs eventually damage someone permanently.

Sad, very sad.

[Linda]

True! Where we walk dogs (at the dog park) a lady has a little dog that is never on a leash...she spends the whole time of her walk yelling "CHI CHI" constantly and loudly, we are all glad (dog included) when she goes back to her house.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

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[geogia little pea]

We have a few dog walkers like that here too. No cloned dogs though. I find that a bit creepy. There can and should only be one of any being. You love it the best you can when it's alive, and then it becomes a treasured memory when it's gone. Isn't that life?

[Jen @MyBrownNewfies]

Well that a smart way to spend your trust fund. Sounds to me like he one irresponsible person and dog owner!

[Karen Friesecke]

The article said that the dogs bit a dog owner and a passing cyclist. Where is animal control in this situation? I guess the people that got bitten never complained?

[Jen]

Oh my goodness....

[Heather]

What a mess all the way around.

[jet]

Those clone dogs are kind of creepy, and their owner very creepy. If I saw him on the street I'd cross it! If those dogs bit me I would not let the issue go, that is for sure.

[cube]

Too much money and not enough brains. I don't blame the dogs, I blame the irresponsible human.

[Alfie]

Rooo I wish my humans would teach me how to drive and I'd go to the pet store and pick up some toys and cute girls before heading to the park *Waggy tail*