Montreal-area pit bull to be euthanized after attack on young boy

MONTREAL – A recent dog attack on a seven-year-old Montreal boy shows the importance of the city’s new anti-pit bull bylaw, a borough mayor said Monday.

The new law “is essential,” Verdun Mayor Jean-Francois Parenteau told Radio-Canada.

“It’s not about not liking animals,” he said. “It’s about prioritizing the human.”

On Sunday a dog registered with the city as a pit bull attacked a boy in his family home.

The boy required stitches on the inside and outside of his cheek, “and he’ll have scars for the rest his life,” Parenteau said.

Borough spokeswoman Honorine Youmbissi said the animal is at the SPCA under observation and will be euthanized at the request of its owner.

“The attacked happened inside a home, it’s the family dog,” Youmbissi said. “The child was the son of the partner of the dog owner.”

Montreal recently passed a controversial bylaw banning new pit bulls on city territory.

It successfully appealed a lower court ruling that had suspended portions of the bylaw pertaining to the dogs.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said earlier Monday he hears “nonsense from all sides that I don’t like dogs.”

“I love dogs,” he said. “But I want to ensure that citizens can live in a healthy environment.”

Parenteau said the SPCA is currently following protocol by holding the animal for 10 days to test for rabies and other diseases.

The dog will then be euthanized.