Two Toronto residents charged in North York dog-dragging incident

A Toronto police cruiser is seen in this undated photo.

Two Toronto residents are facing charges in connection with a dog-dragging incident in North York.

It happened early on Monday afternoon in the Willowdale neighbourhood, near Yonge Street and North York Boulevard, north of Sheppard Avenue.

Toronto police said they were called to that area just before 1 p.m. after receiving a call for an animal complaint.

Investigators say a man and woman were in a moving vehicle with their two dogs, which were tethered to a single leash affixed to the collar of each animal.

They say that the vehicle briefly stopped and the woman exited and removed one of the dogs, which was still affixed to the leash, from the vehicle.

She then allegedly closed the door of the vehicle and got back inside.

“The dog was outside of the moving vehicle and being dragged as the vehicle continued,” police said in a news release.

They added that the second dog inside the vehicle was “being pulled by the force.”

Bystanders intervened to stop the vehicle, and called authorities, they said.

Police said the dogs were taken to a veterinary clinic and received treatment for their injuries.

Mohammad Saberi Kamareh, 54, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with four counts of willfully cause unnecessary pain/suffering or injury to an animal. He was scheduled to appear in bail court this morning.

Farimah Saghari Toyserkani, also 54 and from Toronto, was arrested and charged with two counts of willfully cause unnecessary pain/suffering or injury to an animal. She was also set to appear in bail court on Tuesday morning.

This animal cruelty investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-3200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.