Dog that attacked five-year-old Saskatoon boy involved in three other attacks

CTV News has learned a dog that attacked a five-year-old boy last week had been declared dangerous in February 2022, but the city had lost track of the owner a year ago.
According to City Solicitor Cindy Yelland, the dog was involved in three violent incidents prior to attacking the child outside Meadowgreen Confectionary on March 22.
The dog killed a cat in 2020, attacked a cyclist in June 2021, and attacked another dog in July 2021, Yelland said.
“The Crown (City Solicitor’s Office) believed there was clear evidence the animal was dangerous. City prosecutors also did not believe the owner possessed the ability to safely manage the dog,” Yelland told CTV News.
At the time, she said prosecutors asked for the dog to be destroyed but the court declined, opting instead to place conditions for the animal that the owner was legally obligated to follow, including wearing a muzzle, being kept in an enclosure, getting behavioural training, and having regular appearance dates for monitoring.
Animal Control is responsible for making sure the owner follows the conditions of a dangerous animal order, but Yelland says they lost contact with the owner in March 2022 when the owner moved without telling the city.
“We were unable to locate the owner, leading us to believe they were transient. The whereabouts of the owner and the dog had been unknown until this attack.”
Following the attack last week, the city learned the dog had changed hands several times in the last year, and Yelland says it’s unclear whether the previous owners disclosed the dangerous animal order on the animal.
On Tuesday, city prosecutors issued a warrant for the dog’s seizure and it was “surrendered by the owners for destruction,” Yelland says.
After a mandatory 10-day waiting period, the dog will be euthanized, the city says.
Yelland says her office also expects to receive a prosecution request from the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency for the dog’s owner.
Correction
Based on information provided by the city solicitor, an earlier version of this story indicated the dog was declared dangerous in February 2021.
The city informed CTV News that was a typo. The dangerous animal order was issued on February 11, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Liberals unveil plan to make hybrid House of Commons sittings permanent
Government House Leader Mark Holland unveiled Thursday the federal Liberals’ plans to make hybrid sittings in House of Commons a permanent feature.

4 very young children critically wounded in knife attack in French Alpine town
As bystanders screamed for help, a man with a knife stabbed four young children at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday, assaulting at least one in a stroller repeatedly. The children between 22 months and 3 years old suffered life-threatening injuries, and two adults also were wounded, authorities said.
'Canada dry': Climatologist Dave Phillips foresees hot, dry summer countrywide
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
Wildfire battles continue under heat, air quality alerts over most of Canada
The battle against hundreds of wildfires continues, as almost every jurisdiction in Canada remains under either heat or air quality warnings from the federal government. The day after what was supposed to be national Clean Air Day, dozens of alerts remain in place for unseasonable heat or smoky air quality.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires forecast to reach Norway
Norwegian officials said the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has enveloped parts of the U.S. and Canada in a thick haze is expected to pour into Norway on Thursday.
Trans, non-binary students under 16 in N.B. need parental consent for pronoun changes
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
Shannen Doherty reveals cancer has spread to her brain
Actress Shannen Doherty is letting her social media followers in on the spread of her breast cancer.
Pat Robertson, U.S. broadcaster who helped make religion central to Republican Party politics, dies at 93
Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died.
Can face masks help protect you from wildfire smoke? Health expert explains
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.