More than a week after an Edmonton Police Service dog was killed after he was involved in an attempted takedown, the man accused of killing the dog made a brief appearance in court.
Paul Joseph Vukmanich, 27, appeared in an Edmonton courtroom by CCTV from the Edmonton Remand Centre Tuesday morning, but his appearance was brief – and his case was adjourned for a week because he does not have a lawyer.
Vukmanich faces a number of charges related to an incident that took place on city streets in the early hours of Monday, October 7.
The EPS Canine Unit was called to the area of 90 Street and 118 Avenue at about 5:15 that morning – Cst. Matthew Williamson and PSD Quanto responded to help deal with a police pursuit.
Police said at the time that after officers pursued an allegedly stolen vehicle, the driver crashed the car into a median near a gas station – then police said he tried to flee on foot.
It’s at that point that Quanto was deployed in an attempt to stop the suspect, but the suspect stabbed the dog.
Quanto was rushed to the Emergency Vet Clinic, but died a short time later.
The charges Vukmanich faces include criminal flight, dangerous driving, four counts of possession of stolen property, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, resisting arrest and cruelty to an animal, along with breach of parole conditions – in addition, he was the subject of Canada-wide warrants at the time of his arrest.
The case has put the subject of tougher penalties for individuals who harm or kill a service animal in the spotlight, and CTV News has learned Quanto’s handler, Cst. Williamson, was in Ottawa Monday to help push for changes to the Criminal Code.
Currently, the maximum punishment for animal cruelty is five years behind bars.
With files from Laura Tupper
