Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Pup Saved from Coney Freakshow
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 20, 2009
Modified Jul 20, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 20, 2009
Modified Jul 20, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There's one thing certain about the future of Coney Island: there will be no 5-legged dog in John Strong's freakshow. A North Carolina woman named Allyson Siegel changed the pup's fate when she outbid Strong and paid $4,000 for the animal.
Last week Siegel had offered owner Calvin Owensby more money, convincing him not to sell the pup to Strong, who already made a $1,000 down payment. But what's this? Owensby said the freakshow proprietor had even told him the dog would go to "an amazing animal farm," and allegedly made no mention of the sideshow act. For shame!
The Daily News now reports that a co-owner of NYC Veterinary Specialists on West 55th Street has offered to help out the 6-week-old Chihuahua-terrier mix named Lilly, and he was so touched by the story that he even offered to remove the extra leg for free (something that could have cost an additional $2,000).
Tagged
Allyson Siegel
coney island
dog
freakshow
John Strong
Lilly
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .