City of Whitehorse drops charges against owner of dog that bit another dog

The City of Whitehorse has settled its case against a dog owner who became the subject of public outrage earlier this summer.

The animal allegedly attacked city resident Sharon Young's dog in late July. News of the incident spread far on social media, sparking an outcry to hold the owner of the offending canine responsible.

In Yukon Territorial Court on Thursday, the city's lawyer withdrew two bylaw charges against the owner in question — one for a dog bite and the other for having an unleashed dog.

Ryan Leef, manager of bylaw services, said the city reached an agreement with the man. That deal saw the dog surrendered and rehomed outside of Whitehorse.

According to Leef, the city was able to ensure public safety, and secure a humane fate for the dog, without the risk of going to trial.

"So we felt very comfortable that the agreement to surrender the dog, get it into a different environment that is safe for the dog and safe for the general public, was the prudent course of action in this case," Leef said.

Leef said he would not reveal the dog's new location to respect the privacy of those involved in the case. However, a kennel in Tagish, Yukon, has posted on Facebook claiming to be its new home.

Young racked up hundreds of dollars in vet bills after her dog was attacked. When charges were laid, the city had planned to seek restitution for those expenses. With the tickets withdrawn, it will now be up to her to seek redress.

Leef said the city pursues "outcomes that are in the best broader public interest."

"Nothing in the agreement that we put forward strips away the complainant's ability to seek a civil remedy in that case," he said.