Charges laid in dog-on-dog attack in North York

Thestar.com
June 28, 2018
Julien Gignac

In a visceral moment captured on camera, Cindy Morgan is in the lobby of her North York apartment helplessly watching as a large canine attacks and kills one of her three small dogs.

In the video, which was posted on YouTube and has garnered about 5,000 views, the small dog, a Papillon Chihuahua mix named Fudgey, is seen being whipped around in the mouth of what is reported to be an American bulldog mix.

Morgan, who did not post the video, said she was halfway outside the lobby door when the other dog ran in.

“He didn’t smell my dogs, try to greet them, he just grabbed the brown one and shook him violently and pierced his lung and his heart with his teeth,” she said. “So he died pretty quickly. Thank God he didn’t suffer with all the injuries.”

It happened on the evening of June 9 at her building on Falstaff Ave., near Jane St. and the 401. Morgan broke down in tears when the Star spoke with her about the attack, calling it “devastating.”

In the video, a man appears to kick the larger dog to get it to unclamp its jaws. Morgan then holds her limp dog in her arms.

“I had blood all over me when I got home,” she said, adding her beloved dog “can’t be replaced.”

Toronto Animal Services has confirmed a report had been filed and charges laid against the owner under the Dangerous Dog Bylaw. Tacked to the charges is a $500 fine for not preventing a dog from “committing a dangerous act,” said spokesperson Tammy Robbinson in a written statement.

“Under the conditions of the Dangerous Dog Order, the dog must be muzzled at all times when off the owner’s property, it must also wear a Dangerous Dog tag, participate in socialization/behavioural training, be microchipped, have beware of dog signage posted. The dog cannot enter into a designated leash free area in a city park at any time,” she said.

Robbinson did not provide a court date and said Toronto Animal Services would not release the name of the person charged, citing privacy concerns.

Bruce Malloch, a spokesperson for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, which runs the building on Falstaff Ave., said according to its report the “owner of the larger dog described his pet as a 1-year-old mixed-breed dog (American bulldog and Staffordshire).” Malloch would not disclose the owner’s name.

Malloch said he doesn’t know how the video was obtained, adding the corporation has launched an investigation into the matter.

“As a followup, Community Safety Unit special constables are in the process of voluntarily raising funds among themselves to assist the tenant (Morgan) through this sad time, as she has lost her beloved dog and must still care for her other pets,” he said, noting that special constables arrived the night of the attack and requested Animal Services intervene.

Morgan said the problem dog showed up “a couple months ago,” and she’s still concerned for other small dogs in her building.

“A dog like that should not be around here. You have a dog with that kind of strength, you need to make sure you’re holding that leash properly. A dog like that should not be trusted,” she said.