Dog quarantined

A dog suspected of attacking and killing another dog at an off-leash dog park last week has been quarantined and charges are being considered under the Dog Owner’s Liability Act.

The dog that performed the attack is with its owners under quarantine for a period of 10 days to determine if the dog has rabies or any other disease, said Ron Bourret, manager of licensing and enforcement with the City of Thunder Bay.

At the end of the quarantine period, a decision will be made about what will happen to the dog that is believed to be a pit bull-border collie mix.

And while there are no other incidents involving the dog on record in the City of Thunder Bay, Bourret said the seriousness of the incident would most likely pre-empt any leniency normally given on a first offence.

"Due to the gravity of it we would proceed certainly for a destruction order at the end of the day if that is the decision after the quarantine period," he said.

The pit bull-mix attacked and killed a chihuahua-papillon at the Winnipeg Avenue dog park Nov. 9 when the owner of the alleged pit bull-mix brought their dog into the small dog section of the park.

There is a large sign stating the rules and regulations for the park, but city officials have said the park is self-policed; it’s up to the users to enforce the rules.