Boy, 13, allegedly attacked by Blu after dog freed by animal services amid pit-bull controversy
CBC
A dog that made headlines after being seized in early October and released after his plight prompted rallies against pit-bull regulations in Ontario — has allegedly mauled a 13-year-old, leaving the boy's face swollen and needing stitches.
Blu, also known as Dwaeji, was held by Vaughan Animal Services (VAS) for 24 days before he was freed and allowed to reunite with his owners, Tommy and Melissa Chang.
On Friday, Muhammad Almutaz Alzghool said, Blu attacked and bit him at Black Belt World, a downtown Toronto taekwondo studio owned by Chang.
The boy said after wrapping up class on Friday, he saw Blu and told his instructor that he was scared of dogs. Then, he said his instructor challenged him to conquer his fear and approach Blu.
"He told me you have to overcome your fears and if you don't, you won't be a taekwando national champion," Muhammad told CBC Toronto.
"So I got closer to the dog and looked at him ... As I was looking at him, he jumped on my face and bit it. "
The teen had to go to Sick Kids hospital. He needed more than a dozen stitches to close the wound in his swollen face.
The one-year-old American Pocket Bully was seized by VAS on suspicion the was a pit bull over a month ago, but after further investigation, he was determined not to be and released back to his owners on Nov. 1.
The attack reportedly happened four days after he was released.
"I've been feeling really bad because after these stitches, there might be scars on my face. It hurts a lot," Muhammad told CBC News.
The Ontario government prohibited pit-bull ownership in 2005. The legislation also says any dog that shares similar characteristics is also banned — a clause many dog owners find problematic. But on Friday, Ontario eased regulations related to the province's pit bull ban, now allowing seized dogs that appear to look like a prohibited breed to be released.
CBC Toronto reached out to Tommy Chang, who declined to be interviewed. Leo Kinahan, a lawyer retained by the family, sent a statement Monday morning.
"Neither I nor my client are in a position to comment on an ongoing investigation other than to state that ultimately the actual facts will come out," the statement reads.
As of Monday, Vaughan Animal Services said it has not seized the dog, and the incident is being investigated by police, the City of Vaughan said in an emailed statement to CBC Toronto.
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