Celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson’s poodles allegedly escaped from her Hamptons property and attacked a 76-year-old neighbor, leaving the woman with severe bleeding and deep puncture wounds to her calf, the Daily Mail can reveal.
Monica Enders told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview that she was taking out the trash from her Sag Harbor home on the night of August 9 when she looked up and saw Anderson’s three hip-height Standard Poodles growling and barking at her.
‘I was facing the dogs but they had me surrounded,’ Enders said, describing the frightening encounter to the Daily Mail.
One of the apricot-colored poodles then ‘darted in so fast’ and clamped onto her leg, she said.
‘I knew immediately it was bad,’ Enders recalled.
After screaming in pain and calling for help, Enders said all three dogs ran back through a hole in the fence and a line of hedges leading onto Anderson’s property.
Enders said she was able to stagger out of her yard before collapsing on a nearby sidewalk. A young woman, whom Enders identified as Anderson’s property caretaker, came to her aid and helped her call 911.
First responders arrived moments later, Enders said, finding her blood-soaked and suffering from two deep bite wounds on her left calf.
Celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson’s neighbor alleges that one of the 51-year-old fitness guru’s three poodles attacked her in Sag Harbor, New York, last month. Anderson is pictured with one of her dogs in 2022
The injured neighbor, Monica Enders, told the Daily Mail that Anderson’s dogs escaped through a hole in their yard’s fence, pictured above
Police photographs showed Enders’ beige slacks soaked in blood, while officers documented a ‘deep laceration’ on her left leg.
Although she was injured, Enders said she managed to walk to a waiting ambulance. She told the Daily Mail that she lost consciousness after being placed on the gurney.
When she opened her eyes again, Enders said she was at East Hampton’s emergency medical facility.
According to a police report, Anderson spoke with officers while her neighbor was receiving treatment at the scene.
The 51-year-old fitness star told authorities she had not been home when the incident occurred but returned to ‘see the bite injury herself… she feels badly about what happened,’ according to a separate animal control investigators’ report.
Anderson also said the dogs—identified by investigators as River, Gigi and Mando—were back inside her home and that she did not know how they had escaped, the report states.
East Hampton Animal Control Department officials opened an investigation but were unable to examine the dogs. Court documents state that Anderson and her husband, Christopher Asplundh, left town with the pets the day after the attack.
It remained unclear whether any action would be taken against Anderson’s dogs following the incident.
Animal Control officials had initially considered pursuing a ‘Dangerous Dog Hearing’ under New York’s Agriculture and Markets Laws. In such a proceeding, a judge can determine what measures or restrictions are needed to control an animal, including whether it must be muzzled.
Tracy Anderson and her husband, Christopher Asplundh, have five dogs between them, including three Standard Poodles. They are pictured with two of the poodles
Anderson and husband Christopher Asplundh purchased their Sag Harbor home back in 2021 – the same year they got married
Graphic photos taken by police showed the left leg of Enders’ beige-colored slacks soaked with blood
Under the law, euthanizing a dangerous dog is the ultimate step a judge can take.
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The department, though, decided not to pursue the matter because Enders had initially told authorities she didn’t know which of the three dogs had caused her injuries.
Four days after the attack, Enders offered a written statement to investigators in which she specifically identified the dog that bit her as being apricot-colored.
Enders said she was initially in shock but was clear-minded when she made her signed statement to the investigator August 13.
In court papers, investigators noted that the apricot-colored dog was named River, while the other two – Gigi and Mando – were cream-colored.
Early in the investigation, officials had indicated Anderson was the owner of the dogs. But days later when they opted to draw up charges for the alleged attack, she told investigators that her spouse, a business manager, should be held responsible because the ‘vet records are in his name,’ the court papers state.
Asplundh was arraigned on September 8 on six violations – two for each dog – for the animals being unleashed and unlicensed. Under New York State law, all dogs over four months old are required to be licensed.
He was absent for the arraignment in Sag Harbor Village Justice Court but his attorney was told during the hearing that Asplundh will have to show up in person at some point to deal with the charges.
Anderson, pictured with one of her dogs, spoke to cops as her neighbor was being tended to at the scene last month, according to the police report
When told about the alleged unlicensed dog violations, Anderson, according to the investigator’s report, replied that ‘she was unaware what dog licensing was’ – and then ‘asked how to do so.’
The couple, who have five dogs in total, purchased their Sag Harbor home back in 2021, according to Sag Harbor Village records – the same year they got married.
Prior to the dog-biting ordeal, Enders said, the only thing keeping Anderson and Asplundh’s pets – including the poodles, a Cavapoo and Pomsky – in their yard was a hedgerow and a deteriorated stockade fence.
The day after the incident, Enders said, workers were seen installing a wire fence around the perimeter.
She has since retained a Manhattan-based attorney to represent her, though it wasn’t immediately clear if she planned to sue the couple.
The couple’s lawyer, celebrated Hamptons attorney Edward Burke Jr., told the Daily Mail: ‘My clients, Tracy and Chris, are deeply heartbroken by this unfortunate incident, which occurred the day before their long-planned relocation for the school year.
Anderson, pictured in 2022 in New York City, hasn’t publicly commented on the alleged dog attack involving her neighbor
‘Their absolute priority remains the well-being and recovery of their neighbor.
‘The incident occurred after the dogs became startled, then ran through a hidden hole in the neighbor’s fence that was entirely obscured from our clients’ view. Chris was immediately on the scene, and secured the animals.
‘Our clients took instant action to remove the dogs from the area and have completely repaired the fence to ensure this cannot happen again.
‘These are loving family dogs, and Tracy and Chris remained in direct contact with their neighbor to offer their full support during her recovery.’
Enders says she never heard from the dog owners directly, though an employee of the owners was in touch.
Now, a month on from the attack, Enders said she is still recovering from her injuries and is thankful she can still walk.
She added, too, that the scary saga hadn’t diminished her affection for dogs.
‘I love dogs. I still love dogs even after this,’ Enders said.
