Warning: this story contains graphic images.
Toronto police are investigating after a dog seized in Vaughan on suspicion of being a banned pit bull allegedly bit the face of a 13-year-old boy.
Muhammad Almutaz Alzghool says he was helping tidy up after taekwondo class last Friday at Black Belt World on Bloor Street West, when he says his instructor urged him to get close to the dog, even though Muhammad said he was scared.
“He told me ‘you have to overcome your fears and if you don’t, you will never be a national champion,'” Muhammad al-Star told me.
Dwaeji, the one-year-old dog, is owned by studio owner Tommy Chang and his family. Chang’s son Yohan was the instructor on the day of the alleged incident, according to Muhammad.
The dog allegedly tore the left side of the boy’s face, now leaving him with around 20 stitches on his cheek and lip.
“I felt pressured to do it,” he said, noting that his father, Muath Alzghool, rushed into the studio as soon as he heard his son. Screaming.
“He was saying ‘your son is not going to die,’ which meant he didn’t really care about me, he cared more about the dog,” Muhammad added.
Muath says he is not opposed to animals, but said it is “unacceptable to have one in a place where children practice.”
“I don’t want other Canadians to think I’m against dogs,” he said. “I need to protect my son.”
Last week, Chang and his family met with Dwaeji, after the dog spent two weeks in the custody of Vaughan Animal Services (VAS) while they determined if it was a prohibited breed of dog in Ontario. VAS seized the animal after Dwaeji disappeared from the family home in Woodbridge over Thanksgiving weekend.
Chang insisted that his pet was docile and incapable of harming anyone. He said the dog was a certified American Bully and not a banned pit bull, which Ontario banned in 2005 after a high-profile attack.
Chang mounted a social media campaign and rallied to win the release of his dog, sparking the provincial government to relax regulations so that dogs that appear prohibited breeds they can be returned to their owners under certain conditions.
Leo Kinahan, a defense attorney representing Chang, confirmed that police are investigating the incident and said that it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.
“Right now, I am not in a position to say anything. However, I am hopeful that the real facts of what happened in the unfortunate incident will come to light in the near future, ”he said, adding that Chang has cooperated and will continue to cooperate fully should the need arise.
“Dwaeji is currently undergoing training at a facility outside of the GTA. He was recently held in what amounted to isolation for more than three weeks and this process is in the best interest of everyone involved, ”he said.
Toronto police also confirmed the investigation into the dog attack and the city of Vaughan said animal services received a report.
Although this is the dog’s first time visiting inside the studio, Dwaeji also used to attend classes when they were held outdoors due to COVID-19 restrictions, Muhammad said.
“I’m going to find a different club to go to because there’s no way I’m going to go back to that,” he said.
Reference-www.thestar.com