Pit bull kills family pet

This article can be found in The Mississauga News.

What I found interesting is the headlines specified the dog to be a Pit bull, yet as you read the article, the statement, "Dulio Rose, manager of Animal Control Services, says the Dog Owners’ Liability Act may come into play in this case." She states it's a Pit bull, yet says ACC has to "investigate to determine if the dog meets the definition of a pit bull under the law and whether it has been spayed or neutered as required."

The other thing that interests me is if this dog has been causing such concern in the neighbourhood and allowed to roam free, why were complains not made earlier to ACC? The neighbours know where the dog lives, yet ACC wasn't called in until something of this nature happened even though they were frightened for their children.

I find this statement made offending. "Because this incident involves a pit bull, Rose said, “this may be more of a pressing issue." meaning, if it were any other breed of dog that was involved this incident wouldn't have caused a stir and probably wouldn't have made it to the newspapers with perhaps a just a fine from the owner and a slap on the wrist.

Pit bull kills family pet




Sammy, a six-year-old Yorkshire Terrier and a beloved family pet, was killed by a pit bull.
By: John Stewart
September 7, 2007

One minute Delia Tavares and her 16-year-old daughter were happily walking their Yorkshire Terrier along a Mississauga street. The next, their six-year-old family pet was dead, ripped apart by an attacking pit bull.

Little Sammy was grabbed by the larger dog and pulled under a fence, where he was fatally mauled.

The teen screamed in horror when she pulled her pet back from under the fence and saw the injuries he had suffered in just seconds. Sammmy's leg was broken, his chest was ripped open and he was bleeding badly.

The family rushed their beloved pet to an emergency animal centre in Oakville but Sammy had to be put down.

Now, Tavares wants the killer dealt with by authorities. She says the pit bull terrorizes the neighbourhood, so much that pedestrians cross to the other side of the road rather than pass the yard where it lives on Cliff Rd. She and her daughter normally cross the road themselves as they approached the home beside Clifton Public School.

The pit bull's loud barking is the usual early warning system. But on this occasion, last Tuesday (Aug. 28), there was no warning - just an attack.

The pit bull grabbed the smaller dog through a hole under the fence as the family passed by.

“We’re all devastated,” said Tavares of her family. “We can’t stop thinking about it, especially when you see that dog still out there.”

Dulio Rose, manager of Animal Control Services, says the Dog Owners’ Liability Act may com into play in this case.

Once the police report has been received, Animal Control inspectors will investigate to determine if the dog meets the definition of a pit bull under the law and whether it has been spayed or neutered as required.

Tavares says the dog was acquired after the ban on pit bulls became law.Rose said an Animal Control investigator will take statements from the complainants and the dog owner and if any laws have been broken, charges will be laid.

The charges could then be heard before a Justice of the Peace.

Because this incident involves a pit bull, Rose said, “this may be more of a pressing issue.

"The Ontario government moved to ban pit bulls after a number of serious attacks on children.

The Cliff Rd. homeowner of the pit bull has now placed sand and rocks in the escape hole to prevent him from attacking again, Tavares said.

“But he (the dog) can just take that out, too, and this is right beside a public school,” which means children could be in potential danger, she added.

“Something needs to be done about this dog,” she says, “especially after what he did.”