By Glenda Luymes, The Province
Published: Saturday, May 17, 2008
SURREY -- Two children were taken to hospital with bites to their legs and arms after a Rottweiler escaped from its owner's backyard in Surrey Friday night.

The four-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy were walking with their grandmother near 130th Street and 88th Avenue at about 9 p.m. when the dog burst through an unlocked gate in chase of a ball and attacked them.

"The kids were startled, the dog was startled," said Marcie Moriarty of the B.C. SPCA. "The owner tried to get the dog off, but it turned on him and then back to the kids."

A Rottweiler cross lunges at a photographer in this file photo.
Les Bazso file photo - The Province

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Font:****The 16-month-old purebred Rottweiler eventually returned to the backyard, and its owner asked the SPCA to euthanize it. The dog was put to sleep Friday night.

Moriarty said the dog's owner had recently received it from a friend who rescued it from a crack house. Drug dealers sometimes train dogs to be vicious to protect their investment.

"It was probably the dog's job to do what he did. It's just a really, really unfortunate situation," she said.

Moriarty said people should be cautious when adopting a dog and ensure the proper temperament tests are done.

Surrey RCMP Insp. Lee Chanin said police will likely not lay charges against the owner, but he may be penalized by the city's bylaw department.

The two children were treated at Surrey Memorial Hospital and released.

The attack was the second serious incident involving a dog in Surrey this month. Two weeks ago an 11-year-old boy was severely injured by a pitbull.