'Really disgusting': Video captures man tampering with dog water bowl in Toronto

TORONTO -

Dog owners in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood are being advised to be cautious, after a man was spotted spraying an unknown substance into a public dog water bowl over the weekend.

“To want to harm dogs, in particular, to me is quite concerning and disturbing,” Michael Catafalmo told CTV News Toronto.

Catafalmo is the manager at SPIRITLEAF Cannabis on Queen Street East. The store’s surveillance video shows a man, in a black and white hooded coat, walk by the dispensary around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. About ten seconds later he returns carrying something in his hands. You then see the man unwrap the object and appear to spritz a substance into a dog water bowl located on the store’s front step.

“It’s really disgusting behaviour. I can’t believe someone would stoop that low to harm our dog community,” said area resident Ryan, who owns a Rottweiler named Molly.

Shortly after the man walks away, you can see a woman with a dog approach the store, but she veers away from the water bowl. She’s just been warned by a witness who saw what happened. That witness next alerts store staff.

“We acted quickly and just dumped the water, first instinct, and then contacted the police,” says Catafalmo.

The substance in the bowl was never actually analyzed, so police don’t know what — if anything — the water was laced with. Nonetheless, the incident is upsetting for area dog owners.

“It’s obviously trying to be hurtful to the dogs, and we love our dogs, especially in this community. Most of the businesses are really dog friendly,” said Claire, owner of a small black dog named Maple.

Angela, who owns two dogs, meanwhile, added: “Animals don’t do anything except want to be loved. For someone to want to do that just means that they’re very insensitive, uncaring.”

Police from 55 division are now investigating. Store employees describe the suspect as a white male between 35 and 45 years of age, five-foot-eight-inches to five-foot-11-inches, weighing between 170 and 200lbs, with a light beard and moustache.