Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Infamous "Ghost Dog" Of Prospect Park Finally Captured
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 27, 2012
Modified May 27, 2012
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
Ben Yakas
Published May 27, 2012
Modified May 27, 2012
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
For several years now, Prospect Park workers and patrons have traded stories about an elusive "ghost dog" who lived on the park on his own. After four years, that "Ghost Dog" has now been apprehended—and she's a 109-pound brown and black Cane Corso who looks a bit like a small cow, according to Patch. “Part of me didn’t want to catch him. Part of me felt he was happy where he was, and he was living a nicer life than we could have provided for him," said Sean Casey, who runs Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Kensington. “But at the same time I knew that at some point that would come to an end, and he would need to be brought in.”
Casey caught the dog last Wednesday in the park—or as he put it, the dog decided to turn himself in: “I think ultimately he made the decision at the end of the day,” Casey said. “He was always somewhat guarded, and his guard was just really down. I think he was saying, you know, it’s time.” He was limping too—it turned out the dog had an injured back knee, a bone ailment called OCD, and also tested positive for Lyme disease.
Ghost Dog had been allowed to stay in the park because he had never posed a threat to any parkgoers. “We realized early on that he wasn’t posing a threat to anyone, so what we’ve done for the past two years is track him,” Casey told the Post. “He was smart. He had a schedule. He had about 12 people a day feeding him.” He was also friendly with many of the other dogs who frequented the park, often coming out to play with them.
Casey hopes to pair him off with an owner eventually, but wants to make sure it's someone who'll understand Ghost Dog's past: “So many people have formed such an emotional attachment to him without ever touching him, without ever doing much more than just seeing him every day," said Casey. “He’s a mythical creature. Everybody has had their minute or two with him.”
Tagged
brooklyn
dog
ghost dog
prospect park
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
Our 2026 New Jersey voter’s guide for this year’s midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 11:01 a.m. ET
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
News
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
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 .