Police shoot, kill dog who bit 4 North Toledo residents

4/24/2013

Four North Toledo residents are recovering from their wounds after being bitten by a dog that Toledo police later shot and killed.

The owner of the dog, Mary Taylor of East Hudson Street, was cited by the Lucas County dog warden for allowing her dog to run at large. Neighbors told police it wasn’t the first time the dog had run loose in the neighborhood, according to the police report.

However, Ms. Taylor said the dog was chained in her yard, and the bite victims were throwing bricks at the dog, which broke the chain as a result.

“There are still bricks in my yard that they threw at him,” she said. “I lost a family member last night. I woke up this morning and my 4-year-old daughter asked me, ‘Mommy, why did they kill my dog?’ ”

The breed of the brown-and-white dog is unclear. It was described as an American bulldog by the deputy dog warden and a mastiff by police. Ms. Taylor told the dog warden the male dog was about 1 year old and named Tank.

Those bitten in the Monday incident were Robert Cantura.14, who was bitten on the hands; Corey Poore, 19, who was bitten on the leg; Cody Hoffman, 26, who was bitten on the hands, and Jane Poore, 50, who was bitten on the legs.

The victims were treated at the scene and taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in fair condition, according to the police report. Ms. Poore and Robert Cantura were not admitted. Mr. Poore was listed in fair condition and Mr. Hoffman was treated in the emergency room.

The dog was loose and vicious when the police arrived, according to their report, so they shot the dog. He died at the scene.

Toledo police Sgt. Joe Heffernan, a department spokesman, did not respond to a request for comment on the case.

The dog was taken to the dog warden’s department, Dog Warden Julie Lyle said.

“We took the dog; he is deceased,” Ms. Lyle said. “I do not know if the woman owns any other dogs. She has no licenses on file at this time.”

Ms. Taylor said she does not own any other dogs, but she said she hopes to get another one.

“My children love animals,” she said. “Tank ran up and down the street with the kids; all of the neighborhood kids loved him.”

Contact Tanya Irwin at: tirwin@theblade.com or 419-724-6066.