Four pit bulls accused in alleged B.C. attacks seized
David Hogben , Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, August 11, 2008
VANCOUVER - Police and the SPCA say they are investigating whether four pit bulls seized in Vancouver Monday are the same dogs involved in a series of attacks on people and animals on Vancouver Island and in the Greater Vancouver area.
"All of these dogs, at this point, are under investigation for being dangerous," said SPCA spokeswoman Janice Levers.
Vancouver Police Cpl. Jack Hundial said the pit bulls, believed to be involved in an attack against a man and his dog Sunday, were taken from their owner in Vancouver on Monday.
Hal Harris, the owner of the pack of five pit bulls, was arrested on a warrant. All the dogs are being held at the SPCA in Surrey, B.C., a Vancouver suburb.
Police were called after a resident spotted a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle linked to the attack. Investigators questioned Harris and seized the dogs.
Levers said officials must confirm whether the dogs seized truly are the problem animals before the SPCA can seek a court order to have them destroyed.
Harris, a homeless man, could possibly be charged with criminal negligence.
In Sunday's attack, Jody Tomlinson was out walking his dog Garden on a leash in a wooded area in Surrey, when the dogs pounced on Garden. When Tomlinson tried to defend Garden, an Italian Mastiff, the pit bulls turned on him. Garden was taken to the vet for emergency treatment, receiving 20 staples to close her wounds. Tomlinson received numerous skin punctures during the attack but no serious injuries.
The pit bulls have also allegedly attacked dogs in an 11-month reign of terror near Victoria as well as a jogger and cyclist in Surrey.
In an attack near Victoria on July 7, a mini American Eskimo named Sophie was killed.
Police said Harris appears to move frequently between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
A Vancouver Island bylaw control officer said authorities will seek a provincial court order to destroy the four pit bulls.
"We are happy that we have finally got the dogs detained," said Capital Regional District bylaw officer Don Brown.
With files from the Times Colonist
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story ... 668d571839 Pit bulls seized in Vancouver; owner questioned then released
Source: CBC News
Posted: 08/11/08 5:35PM
Filed Under: Canada
Authorities have seized four pit bulls they believe were responsible for a series of attacks on southern Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, Surrey RCMP said.
The dogs' owner, who has not been identified, was questioned and released by Vancouver police after animal control officials removed four adult pit bulls and a pit bull puppy from his truck Monday morning, RCMP spokesman Cpl. Jack Hundial told CBC News.
"The owner has been a person of interest in several attacks in Surrey, regarding a person taking several pit bulls into parks and the dogs being involved in attacks on other animals and [biting] of some humans," said Janice Levers, manager of the Surrey SPCA.
A man walking his dog in a Surrey park Sunday was bitten by more than one pit bull.
Victim Jody Tomlinson told CBC News the owner of the dogs didn't even try to stop the attack.
"The dogs just came at us. There were two full-growns and three adolescents," Tomlinson said.
"The two large ones took down my dog ... they were pulling her all over the place. The other little ones were biting me and jumping up on my face trying to get me," he said.
"I kept yelling to him [owner], 'Get control of your dogs! Get control of your dogs!'"
Tomlinson suffered only minor leg injuries and didn't require medical attention but his dog was severely injured and had to be taken to a vet for treatment.
It was the ninth pit bull attack that has been reported in B.C. in the past 11 months - seven in Surrey and two on Vancouver Island.
The others involved a jogger and cyclist who were injured by pit bulls in separate incidents in Surrey, and the remaining six incidents involved dogs being bitten. Two of the animals died from their injuries.
http://news.aol.ca/article/bc-pit-bulls ... ed/307744/ Jodi Preis
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