Dog that attacked children will be euthanized: reports

Animal in Montreal North incident last weekend was known to be aggressive

The dog involved in multiple attacks in a Montreal North home last weekend was known to be aggressive, Radio-Canada reported Tuesday.

The police report of the incident says the dog, described as a one-and-a-half-year-old American pit bull weighing 70 pounds, was supposed to wear a muzzle 24 hours a day because of its known aggressive behaviour, according to Radio-Canada. The report also reportedly says that during the short time between Saturday and Sunday afternoon when the dog was being cared for by a friend of the owner, it attacked six people.

On Tuesday evening, Montreal North Mayor Christine Black gave the go-ahead to borough officials to euthanize the dog, multiple reports said.

The dog allegedly began acting violently as soon as it was brought into the home, where four children ages 11, seven, four and 20 months were staying. Radio-Canada says that as soon as it was taken out of the car, it began hitting the two youngest children with its muzzle.

Because the woman who was looking after the dog frequently fosters animals, she called the New Brunswick-based animal rescue company Freedom Drivers to come pick up the dog the next day.

Before the dog could be taken away, it bit both the seven- and fouryear-old and another unidentified child and a motorist who got out of his car to intervene after hearing screams, Radio-Canada says.

Montreal’s city council passed an animal control bylaw on Tuesday. The new bylaw aims to put more responsibility on dog owners for making sure that their pet does not behave aggressively.