A woman is facing backlash over a viral video that appears to show her calling the cops on a black man who asked her to leash her dog. She has since been placed on administrative leave by her employer.
The woman was in an area in New York City’s Central Park known as the Ramble that requires dogs to be leashed. The sister of the man who filmed the confrontation, Melody Cooper, explained that he had asked the woman to put her dog on its leash.
As the exchange escalated, the woman threatened to call the police on the man and claim that he was threatening her and her dog. The woman appears to call 911 and demand they “send the cops immediately.” She can be seen pulling on the dog’s collar rather than leashing the animal throughout the apparent call.
The woman was quickly identified on social media, prompting the company where she works to issue a statement.
CBS News has reached out to Franklin Templeton to confirm the tweet is about the viral video. In addition to being placed on leave, the woman also “voluntarily surrendered” her dog to the rescue she adopted it from.
In a Facebook post, Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc. wrote that “the owner has voluntarily surrendered the dog in question to our rescue while this matter is being addressed.”
A spokesperson for the animal rescue confirmed the dog that was surrendered was the same one in the viral video.
As for the man who filmed the woman, his sister said in a follow-up tweet that he is safe.
“I wanted folks to know what happened to make sure it never happens again from her. All she had to do was put her poor dog on the leash,” Cooper said.
