Toronto Owners Of Dog Who Attacked Boy Say They Are Getting 'Death Threats'

Tommy Chang, the owner of dog Dwaeji, is receiving death threats after his dog allegedly bit a child at his downtown Toronto taekwondo studio Black Belt World earlier this month.

One-year-old American Pocket Bully Dwaeji has been showered in press the past month after being held by Vaughan Animal Services under suspicion for being a pit bull for weeks and returned only to reportedly attack a child days later.

Chang and his family are now facing death threats online in the wake of Dwaeji attacking 12-year-old Muhammad Almutaz Alzghool.

Chang's lawyer, Leo Kinahan, told Narcity that the family is receiving an "ongoing barrage" of hate and "racist" comments.

"They received one that some guy from Los Angeles, California suggested that they would come down and unload a clip into them."

Kinahan listed the threats they have received, including "you don't belong in my country" and that "the dog should be euthanized and he should have the sh*t kicked out of him," and more.

"His entire family has been threatened. His livelihood has been threatened," says Kinahan.

Kinahan released a statement to the media on Wednesday about the attack, detailing the boy's interactions with the dog leading up to the bite, including supported video footage. The lawyer says he has "never been one to believe of trial in the media" but that "it had to be addressed for my client's safety and his family's safety."

Kinahan emphasized that he is not trying to take away from the trauma Alzghool has faced from the attack.

"This has been traumatic for everybody, and again I'm not saying that their trauma is worse than the trauma that the young boy has suffered."

A lawsuit has not been filed yet, according to Kinahan, and he says the family has sent Dwaeji to a training facility outside of the GTA.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.