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Dog owners face additional charge in Tonka's death

First appearance set for Jan. 30
Tonka, elkhound killed in Lively
Tonka, an eight-year-old Norwegian elkhound, was euthanized earlier this month after he was attacked by two other dogs, who were subsequently seized by the city and their owners charged. File photo.

As their first appearance date of Jan. 30 approaches, the owners of two canines who viciously attacked another dog in Lively are facing an additional charge.

Brendan Adair, manager, safety and bylaw services for the City of Greater Sudbury, said in addition to the two charges under the city's municipal bylaw, the owners have also been charged under the Provincial Offences Act for failing to exercise reasonable precautions to prevent a dog from biting or attacking a person or domestic animal.

“The question has come up whether we are going to adopt the dogs,” Adair said. “There is concern in the community as to what's going to happen to these dogs.

"We understand, but the reality is, we don't have the ability to adopt out the animals. The process needs to go before the courts, where the Justice of the Peace will order what happens.”

The two dogs are still the property of the owners, Adair said. The Justice of the Peace will decide what the city will do with the animals, which could be to return the animals with possible conditions on the owner — such as they can't leave the property — right up to the destruction of the dogs.

The only way the city would be able to adopt out the dogs afterwards is if the owners were to surrender them, Adair said.

“In the meantime, just like any other animals in our care, we are responsible for the care of these dogs,” he said. “I know they've been at the shelter before, so they are adjusting well to that environment.”

The owners have been directed to stay away from the shelter, and not to try to visit their dogs until there is some direction in the case, Adair said. They continue to co-operate with the city.

The canines were seized by the city after they attacked an eight-year-old purebred Norwegian elkhound on Jan. 4. The injuries were so severe, Tonka had to be euthanized. 

Tonka's owner, Terry Matthews, told Sudbury.com the day after the attack she believes the canines weren't just looking for a dog fight, but they were there to kill.

“They ripped him apart,” she said. “These were kill wounds. Tonka's skin and hair was left in my driveway.”
 


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Arron Pickard

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