Police say an Ontario man has been sentenced to house arrest among other conditions after a nine-year-old girl was mauled by three dogs at a Newmarket home during a puppy sale in July 2023.
On July 27, 2023, police said a father and his daughter went to the home on Jackson Court to view puppies for sale when three dogs rushed out of the house and attacked the young girl, unprovoked.
Police said at the time that the girl was “mauled and severely injured” by the dogs. She was taken to hospital with severe bites all over her body.
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Newmarket Animal Services went to the home that evening after the attack and the three dogs were handed over. They were then euthanized.
The owner, 68-year-old Leslie Theodore Kovacs, was charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm and three counts under Ontario’s Dog Owner Liability Act (DOLA).
Police said he was also found to be in violation of a muzzle order issued by Newmarket Animal Services.
In a news release on Wednesday, police said Kovacs pleaded guilty to all charges. He was sentenced to one year of house arrest; 15 months of probation; a lifetime ban on owning, keeping, harbouring or residing in a home with a dog; and a $5,000 penalty under DOLA.
“York Regional Police and Newmarket Animal Services emphasize the importance of responsible pet ownership and the serious consequences of failing to control aggressive animals,” the force said. “The safety and well-being of the community remain a top priority.”
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