A Newmarket man has pleaded guilty after his three dogs attacked and seriously injured a nine-year-old girl in July 2023.
Leslie Theodore Kovacs admitted guilt to charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and three counts under the Ontario Dog Owners’ Liability Act. The incident occurred on July 27, 2023, when the girl and her father visited Kovacs’ home on Jackson Court to view puppies. During the visit, three “bulldog-type” dogs escaped their enclosure and mauled the girl. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Kovacs has been sentenced to one year of house arrest and 15 months’ probation. He is also permanently banned from owning, keeping, or living with dogs, and was fined $5,000. Following the attack, the dogs were euthanized.
Authorities revealed that the dogs had previously been subject to a muzzle order from Newmarket Animal Services due to a 2022 “dog-on-dog” incident. The order required the dogs to be muzzled off-property and confined by a six-foot fence on the property. However, Kovacs failed to comply, prompting continued monitoring and additional complaints, though no earlier charges were laid.
York Regional Police and Newmarket Animal Services stressed the importance of responsible pet ownership, emphasizing community safety in the wake of the attack.