Dog seized, owner facing multiple charges for fatal dog attack in Brantford, Ont.

A dog has been seized and its owner is facing charges after a fatal dog-on-dog attack in Brantford, Ont.

A 16-year-old Chihuahua, named Charlie, had been taken out for a walk last week when there was a confrontation with another dog. Charlie died during the attack.

The incident kicked off an investigation by bylaw officers as the city tried to identify the owner and dog involved.

Security images were also shared with the public in the hopes it would generate tips.

Despite dozens of emails and calls, bylaw investigators were unable to locate the dog. They believed it may have been purposefully taken out of the city after the confrontation.

Dave Wiedrick, the city’s director of bylaw compliance and security, gave CTV News an update on Friday.

“Earlier today we found the dog was back at the residence that we thought the suspect owner was at. We attended with Brantford Police after bylaw officers got a search warrant for the apartment and we located the dog.”

The animal was seized and the city said it will be temporarily housed at a kennel.

Bylaw investigators also determined the person seen in the security video, which was released by the city, was not the dog’s owner.

“The young girl that was in the picture was a dog walker and was not associated with owning the dog. The owner admitted to owning the dog once we approached her,” Wiedrick confirmed.

During the course of the investigation, bylaw officers discovered there was reason to believe this was not the dog’s first fatal interaction with another pet.

“The description of the dog matched the description from an attack back in the summer of 2024 where we didn’t know where the dog was located. Now, we’re very close to believing that this is the same dog. So it may have been in two dog-on-dog attacks that were fatal,” Wiedrick said.

What happens now?

For now, the dog will remain at the kennel until a judge determines what should be done with it.

The owner, meanwhile, will have to appear in court.

“They’ll be facing [Dog Owners’ Liability Act] charges, plus not having a dog licence under the city bylaw. We’re going to go right to a summons to court. We also have to apply to have the dog tested for DNA to see whether it is an American pit bull, which we strongly believe it is from all its characteristics,” Wiedrick said.