A 54-year-old NDG man is accused of ordering his dog to attack a woman.
Mark Leonard was charged Tuesday with assault and assault causing bodily harm. He was later released on strict conditions, and is due back in court in November.
The incident took place around 10 p.m. Sunday on Randall Ave. in NDG.
Police say that during an argument the man ordered the dog, which officers described as a pit bull, to attack his 47-year-old girlfriend.
A neighbour, Raphael Cummings, called 9-1-1 when the woman came to their door, bleeding from the bites and scratches, and asked for help.
“She was crying, she asked me to call the police,” he said. “Her blouse was torn off and the sleeve all in blood.”
Ambulance technicians treated the woman on the scene for minor injuries to her back and arms.
Police had to search for the dog involved and on Tuesday found it was being taken care of by the apparent victim.
She has refused to co-operate with authorities, and apparently recanted what she first told police in an effort to have the Crown drop charges. The prosecution refused and is going forward with the charges.
Police are seeking a warrant to seize the animal. Neighbours say they have not seen the dog since Sunday.
Neighbour Joyce Cummings claimed that the dog has a history of aggressive acts, and has bit people in the past, but no one has ever called police.
“He's a bad dog, he's a bad dog,” he said.
Another neighbour corroborated that, saying the dog is aggressive and alleging that the owner often left it off-leash.
The victim in Sunday's attack allegedly suffered bites to her arm and back.
"He has the obligation not to communicate with the plaintiff directly or indirectly," said Crown prosecutor Isabelle Major said outside the courtroom. "He (also) can't be within a radius of her domicile, workplace, school and can't be within her physical presence."
Leonard is also forbidden from possessing or being responsible for any animal.
Major said she didn't know the condition or location of the pit bull.
With files from The Canadian Press
