A light-brown pit bull 'known to be aggressive' was running free in downtown Whitehorse on Friday, says senior bylaw officer Dave Pruden.

Pruden said after receiving a call from the Whitehorse RCMP, he went looking for the dog, armed with a dart gun, to subdue him in the interest of public safety.

He said while he believed, this time, the dog was only running loose for about a day, it's been known to run at large on more than one occasion.

'It has been running loose periodically. We have had complaints that it has been aggressive towards people,' Pruden said.

The dog was back at home with his owner on Friday afternoon, returning on its own.

On Friday, the director of bylaw services, John Taylor, said the dog owner was already facing a 'nuisance dog charge' under the city's Animal Control Bylaw for permitting the pet to run the streets of Whitehorse without a leash.

The case has not yet gone to court.

Taylor said because the animal is a pit bull, a breed that's banned in several areas in Canada, including Ontario, bylaw service officers were treating the matter seriously.

In dealing with nuisance or dangerous animals, bylaw officers are permitted to use dart and net guns as well as firearms, the last option being one Pruden said bylaw officers are very reluctant to use.

Pruden said he believed the dog resides on or near Strickland Street downtown but that he was unable to release the owner's name.

He also said the same pit bull is known to have bitten a smaller dog at least once, but that bylaw officials were not able to lay charges following that incident.

'The pit bull bit another dog, but the dog it bit wasn't on a leash. Under the bylaw, we couldn't do anything because if your dog isn't on a leash, it is deemed that the owner did not have care and control of their dog (meaning the pit bull was not legally at fault).'

Under the city's Animal Control Bylaw, passed last Jan. 10, a nuisance animal can be defined in a number of ways, including:

ï An animal which causes damage to the property of anyone other than its owner.

ï An animal which is maintained in an unsanitary environment which results in offensive odours or danger to the animal or to the public health, safety or welfare.

ï An animal which is permitted to 'bark, whine, howl, crow, cackle' or otherwise make or cause noise in an excessive or untimely fashion.

ï An animal that chases, snaps at, or attacks pedestrians, joggers, bicycles, or other vehicles, or animals being walked on a leash.

According to the bylaw, a person 'who contravenes any provision of (the) bylaw' can face a variety of penalties, including:

ï 'A fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or to imprisonment or both (Criminal Code of Canada)...'

ï 'A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or to imprisonment for six months or both (Summary Conviction Act of the Yukon)...'

Earlier this year, Ontario instituted a province-wide ban on pit bulls, stating the animals were a danger to public health and safety.

The legislation, which comes in the form of amendments to the province's Dog Owners Liability Act, will come into effect next Monday.

The legislation prevents people from acquiring a number of breeds classified as pit bulls, and requires those who already own the dogs to neuter and muzzle their animals.

Similar legislation is already in place in Britain, France and Germany.

Winnipeg has had such a ban in place for 14 years and the last pit bull known to be living in the city died in 2004.

In introducing the legislation, Ontario's attorney general, Michael Bryant, said the new law was a substantial step forward in terms of public safety.

'We are protecting Ontarians not only from these dangerous dogs, but from irresponsible owners,' said Bryant. 'These measures will make communities safer for all Ontarians.'

Pruden said dog complaints total one-third of all the calls received by bylaw services. He urged all dog owners to keep their dogs on a leash.

He said that anyone who spots the pit bull, or any other dog, running free should contact bylaw services at 668-8315

'If anyone sees it (the pit bull), let us know. Because it has shown aggression in the past, it is a concern.'