OSHAWA

It hasn’t been a great start to the summer for a young Oshawa man, having had his nose chewed off by a vicious dog while protecting his girlfriend, and then thrown out of his apartment.

It was last Saturday night, while kicking back on the front porch of the rooming house he lives in at 140 Brock St., that Jimmy Rogers, a 23-year-old unemployed construction worker, was doing what he usually does on weekends: hanging with his buddies and girlfriend, Sjaana Farrant, 23.

One friend had his older brother’s un- muzzled 3-year-old dog there - one that Rogers insists is a cross between a pit bull and an American bulldog.

It was when a neighbour approached the porch, Rogers said Friday, that the dog, Polo, took a wild and vicious turn and chomped down on Farrant’s head. Rogers snapped into action, grabbing the dog, only to have it turn and tear into his nose. It’s the last thing Rogers remembers about the attack.

He has already had skin removed from his thigh to cover the hole where his nose used to be - he says while his nostrils are “sort of” still there, the bridge of his nose was largely torn away - and will need more surgery to have bone taken from his wrist to rebuild his bridge.

Rogers, who was released from hospital on Wednesday, says the dog should be destroyed and Oshawa should take more seriously Ontario’s pit bull ban - legislation prohibiting people from having the dogs and requiring those pit bulls around before the legislation was enacted to be muzzled.

“I want justice. My nose has been ripped off and I don’t want this to happen to someone else,” said Rogers, a thick bandage sitting flush against his face.

Rogers says he was told by Oshawa’s animal services Polo will be released in a week with nothing more than a muzzle order.

Animal services manager Bill Slute said the dog is registered as an American Bulldog and couldn’t comment on what will become of the animal.

So where does Polo fall under Ontario’s somewhat-grey pitbull ban?

According to the Ministry of the Attorney General, a pit bull is defined as: a pit bull terrier, a Staffordshire bull terrier, an American Staffordshire terrier, an American pit bull terrier, or “a dog that has an appearance and physical characteristics substantially similar to any of those dogs.”

To make matters worse, when Rogers arrived home Friday with a reporter, his dresser, kitchenware and clothing were sitting in the driveway.

Rogers was short $250 in rent, and an intense shouting match ensued between he and the landlord, who identified himself as Rishi Drepel, 31.

“You can’t live here if you don’t pay the rent,” hollered Drepel.

“You’re a slum landlord, dude,” yelled Rogers, who later identified the landlord as Viseh Patel.

“I didn’t think you were coming back, man,” Drepel yelled, referring to Rogers’ four day hospital stay following the dog attack.

Drepel confirmed he hadn’t applied to Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to have Rogers evicted, as is required for most rental units, including rooms in a rooming house.

“Whatever ... It’s my place and I’ll do what I f**king want. He owes me $250.”