海角社区官网

Coun. Paula Fletcher was motivated to put forth the motion that led to these new measures after her constituent was mauled last summer by a dog whose owner did not comply with a dangerous dog order previously imposed.

“There aren鈥檛 that many bad dogs, but there are bad dog owners,” said Fletcher. “If you are an irresponsible dog owner, you have to know there are consequences, and that they are going to be serious.”

On Monday, 海角社区官网police arrested Patrycja Siarek after a vicious dog attack at a playground that occurred on Saturday around 10:15 a.m. at Little Norway Park on Queens Quay West near Bathurst Street.

The park doesn’t permit dogs in the playground area, as indicated by signs on a fence. According to police, a woman was inside the playground area of the park with an off-leash dog. Police say a father and his child were approaching the playground area at the time. After the family moved toward the area, police allege the dog charged at the child through an open gate before biting and dragging the child to the ground.

Police say the woman and the father “attempted to get the dog to release the child.”

“When the dog released the child, the woman fled northbound out of the area with the dog,” police said.

The woman was located and arrested after executing a search warrant in the Fort York Boulevard and Bathurst Street area and 海角社区官网Animal Services seized the dog, said police.

Siarek faces multiple charges including criminal negligence causing bodily harm, failure to prevent dog from biting or attacking (Dog Owner’s Liability Act), dog bite to a person (DOLA), allowing dog to run at large, except in a posted designated off-leash area (海角社区官网Municipal Code) and ensure dangerous dog is muzzled at all times when off the owner’s property 鈥� which means that the dog involved had previously been involved in a serious biting incident.

In Little Norway Park on Monday, the playground was empty, but the large field beside was being used by people walking their dogs in the area. There鈥檚 an off-leash park about 10 minutes away in Coronation Park, but this area is also very busy with dogs.

鈥淭here are definitely a lot of dogs in this area, for sure. This park can get packed,鈥� said Marcelo Granada, who was walking his dog Luna. He says the dogs in this area haven鈥檛 been aggressive with him, but points to his pup. 鈥淲ith her? Yes. It’s just some people who don鈥檛 put their dogs on their leashes.鈥�

Most concerning, dog owners told the Star, is the lack of responsibility shown in the incident Saturday.

鈥淚 think it’s very similar to a hit and run,” said Laurie Jiang, a project manager who was walking her dog Mookie to the off-leash area.

“Like if you accidentally cause injury with your car, you are obligated to remain there. I see it the same way. If your dog attacked somebody, that is your property. You have responsibility toward that dog.”

According to Esther Attard, head of 海角社区官网Animal Services, there are approximately 450 dogs in the city under an active Dangerous Dog Order (DDO), which includes all active DDOs dating back to 2017, when the dangerous dog section of the bylaw was implemented.

Of that total, staff estimates that approximately 10 per cent are related to a very severe injury or mauling, and some dogs have been euthanized as a result of their attacks. In 2023, there were 2,726 service requests registered for potentially dangerous acts by dogs, up from 2,653 in 2022.