Doberman owner found in contempt

TORONTO – A man who refused to turn over his aggressive Doberman pinscher to be euthanized was found in contempt of court Friday. In its ruling, Ontario’s Court of Appeal sided with health authorities in finding Rob Szalas had defied the spirit of previous court orders by sending the animal to the United States. “Mr. Szalas demonstrated blatant contempt for the administration of justice by ignoring repeated orders and demands to surrender the dog,” the Appeal Court ruled. Dr. Jim Chirico, the medical officer of health for the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, had ordered Szalas to turn over his dog to the humane society be put down after it bit four people, without provocation, in 2013 and 2014.