A bullmastiff that was shot and killed by police after an attack Tuesday had bitten people before, neighbours said.
Police said the dog attack occurred in an apartment above The Duke bar on Queen Street East, near Leslie Street, at about 5:30 p.m. and left one man badly bitten on his arm.
Paramedics, police and animal control attended to the call, and when they arrived they could not control the one-year-old dog, which weighed about 80 kg.
The police officer was also attacked and when a Taser failed to subdue the dog, the officer had no choice but to shoot it, police said.
The man who was bitten said he was looking after the dog for a friend.
“Unfortunately, he’s being bounced around,” said neighbour Jim Kilbreath. “The owner is doing time in jail and the friend was asked to watch over it.”
Neighbours said it wasn’t the first time the dog had caused problems.
Mike Wood told CP24 that he was bitten by the dog three weeks ago.
“He got me by the arm,” Wood said. “He got his whole mouth around my arm. I had two stitches on the top and two puncture wounds on the bottom of my arm.”
Wood said he called animal control, which didn’t find a problem with the animal.
Both the man and the officer were taken to hospital as a result of their injuries.
The man suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital, police said.
With files from CTV Toronto’s Scott Lightfoot
