Over $1600 in fines have been issued by city officials to the owner of a pit bull that bit two men outside a Vanier community centre after a senior dance event. The attacked men were sent to the hospital for bite wounds and scratches on their arms and legs. The City of Ottawa By-Law and Regulatory Service officers appeared on the scene and gave an order to muzzle the dog. The officers charged the owner under the city’s Animal Care and Control By-law and issued $1605 in fines for failing to ensure a dog does not bite or attack a person without provocation, failing to keep a dog on a leash, and failing to register a dog. It remains unclear whether the dog’s owner will face charges under the provincial Dog Owner’s Liability Act. This legislation, much of which is directed towards the seizure of pit bull dogs, allows up to $10,000 in fines, six months imprisonment, and an order to compensate or pay restitution to the victim (see s. 18). An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Read more here and here.
Opens in a new window
