Police dog handler charged after canine bites Calgary boy

A Calgary police officer has been charged and his service dog is being sent back to the U.S.after it bit and injureda 12-year-old boy in Aspen Hills in March.

CPS "has determined that it is in the best interest of the dog and community to return the animal to the originating broker in the United States," police said in a statement.

The officer who still faces an internal police investigation has now been charged with four bylaw infractions.

The dog a three-year-oldBelgian Malinois called Marcobroke free from its handler's fencedbackyard in Aspen Hills onMarch 30and came across three children playing on the street. When 12-year-old Ali Hassanran from the dog, it chased him to his home andbit him on the leg, causing puncture wounds.

Prior escape

The handler has been charged with one count ofan animal running at large and one count of an animal attacking a person and causing severe injury in relation to bitingHassan.

The boy's injury was the result of a "severe bite" that rated a five on the Dunbardog bitescale, said Calgary's chief bylaw officer,Alvin Murray.Sixis death, he noted.

During their investigation, bylaw officers discovered that the handler's petdog, a Doberman, had escaped withMarcoonce before, on March 11. He faces two more counts of dog at large in relation to that case.

A mandatory court appearance is required in all serious aggressive dog incidents, and a judge can impose fines of up to $10,000 for each charge.

For now, the officer who is not being named publicly is still performing regular patrol dutiesand will be assigned a new dog soon,Supt. Blair White told reporters on Thursday.

'Fresh start'

Following the incident, Marcowas removed from service and kept at the CPS kennels, police said.He will now be sent back to the States, where several police agencies have expressed an interest in him.

"He was born to work ...and he also deserves afresh start," saidSupt. White, who said Marcohas testedabove standards onsocialization and obedience tests.

"By staying within Calgary, there would be that cloud over him," White said.

"For him to resurrect his career now somewhere in the law enforcement community [in the U.S.] is the best that we can hope for him," he added.

The handler still faces a review under the Police Act once the bylaw matters have been concluded, police said.

Calgary police said the forcetakes "full responsibility" for the incident, explaining that service dogsrequire a high level of socialization when they are off duty, and live in residential neighbourhoodsas part of the bonding with their handlers.