CALGARY — A Calgary police dog handler faces charges after his canine escaped from his yard and bit a 12-year-old boy.
The City of Calgary says its community standards branch has laid four charges against the police officer under the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw.
They include three counts of an animal running at large and one count of an animal attacking a person and causing severe injury.
A mandatory court appearance is required and consequences will be determined by a judge.
Penalties include fines up to $10,000.
The officer's name has not been released.
Ali Hassan spoke to CTV Calgary days after he was bitten in March. He said he was playing outside with his siblings when the unleashed dog chased him through the garage into his home and attacked him on the kitchen floor.
Ali was bitten in the back of his thigh and had to be treated in hospital. The family said the dog let go when Ali's father punched the animal in the stomach several times.
The police handler, who lives with the dog in the same neighbourhood, then ran into the home and took the dog away.
Police said at the time that the Belgian Malinois named Marco has worked for the force for about a year.
The dog was moved to a quarantined kennel.
A neighbour who lives beside the police handler said she had never before seen the animal loose.
