Owners fined a total of $3,250
CANADA -- Two Tibetan Mastiffs that drew complaints in the community of Martindale, and snapped at responding officers before one of the canines bit a sergeant last month, have been euthanized, the city said Thursday.
The dogs were put down May 13 after a behavioural assessment determined they were too aggressive to be adopted out to a new home, said Alvin Murray, manager of operations with animal and bylaw services.
“Their aggression was too profound,” Murray said.
 |
| City of Calgary bylaw officers restrain a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs which were running loose in Martindale on April 9. Photograph by: Herald files , Global News |
The dogs’ owners — who were each slapped with numerous charges — were also fined a total of $3,250, a “fairly substantial” penalty, Murray added.
Police and bylaw officers were called to the 200 block of Martindale Boulevard N.E. at around 10:30 a.m. April 9 after reports of two large dogs at large not far from the yard of Ecole La Mosaique, where schoolchildren were playing.
Those students were quickly ushered inside and kept indoors for a portion of their lunch hour, as were students at a nearby school.
Officers caught up to the dogs at the Martindale LRT station train tracks and used Tasers to capture the animals.
One of the dogs bit a police officer in the leg, leaving three puncture wounds, but he was not seriously injured and did not need to go to hospital.
Both dogs were licensed, and one was wearing a dog tag.
Following the incident, the owners voluntarily signed over the dogs to the city. The canines were kept at a bylaw facility for a 10-day quarantine period, then underwent a behavioural assessment.
Murray said the decision to put down the dogs was not made lightly. But this wasn’t the first biting incident involving the animals, he added.
The Tibetan Mastiffs bit someone April 7, which resulted in charges for the owners. That file was still under investigation when the animals got out two days later.
Prior to the April 7 incident, the dogs did not have a history of aggression.
“We really have to get the message out that we’re not going to tolerate people’s aggressive dogs running around, scaring people, biting people and creating havoc,” Murray said.
“It’s the responsibility of dog owners to make sure their dogs are well-socialized, well-trained, and that their yards are secure so they can’t escape.”
He encourages people who own dogs with aggression issues to seek help from a certified trainer.
Those who witness animal aggression or animals at large are urged to call 311, or 911 if there is a public safety risk or injuries involved.
(calgaryherald.com - May 30, 2013)
Earlier:
