Fatal dog attacks in Canada are rare: a 2008 study found that one to two deaths per year in Canada are attributable to dog attacks, however other systematic data is lacking compared to the wider variety of studies conducted by researchers in the United States. In the lists below, the attribution of the dog type or breed is assigned by the sources.
Fatalities before 2000
Prior to 1990 DateLocationDog type (Number)Victim's nameVictim's ageCircumstancesJune 21, 1814St-Foy Parish, Lower CanadaUnknown (1)Charles Gigueres9 yearsBitten by a rabid dog on the face and died. The dog belonged to a neighbor and "relation of the family". It came to Charles' father's home - as it often did - and approached Charles and two other children playing, and when Charles caressed him, the dog bit him on the right lower jaw. The wound healed slowly in about two or three weeks, and the child seemed in good health until he complained of an earache on the right side where he had been bitten. He got worse, eventually exhibiting the usual symptoms of rabies. The doctor tried to use "copious bleeding, mercural applications, etc.", with no hopes of success. Authorities ordered to have dogs and other dangerous domestic animals that were bitten to be destroyed.November 29, 1820Lower CanadaUnknown (1)Son of Coad Lins9 yearsDied from "hydrophobia" after being bitten by a dog.June 1836Faubourg Saint-Louis, Lower CanadaUnknown (1)Son of Mr. Burns7 yearsHe was bitten by a dog belonging to a butcher, who, in total, had 11 dogs. The child died on the 3rd July of the same year. The dog was rabid.February 14–15, 1837Lower CanadaUnknown (1)Josephte Martineau44 yearsMartineau and her husband were bitten by their own dog, which until then had not shown any symptoms of rabies. The doctor cut with no delay the part of her husband's hand that had been bitten, but Martineau could not agree to have her leg amputated. September 14, 1838Montreal, Lower CanadaUnknown (1)Daughter of Mr. Jamieson7 yearsThe family dog attacked Mr Jamieson's daughter - and it was thought to have rabies. She was seriously wounded, with five distinct bites in the face, including a half-inch wide one that removed her eye. Doctors were called, but were not convinced there were rabies symptoms. Le Canadien newspaper at first reported that the child recovered thanks to a cure given by Henry Hughes, a soldier, having no difficulty drinking and not having any external symptoms. According to the newspaper Le Populaire, it was because the soldier's remedy was not applicated in time, with the latter's authority being eclipsed by the doctors', that the daughter of Mr. Jamieson died, on October 11, 1838.
The dog had bitten other animals. Magistrates emitted an order that dog owners should keep them withdrawn or muzzled.c. 1840Deschambault, Lower CanadaUnknown (1)UnknownYoungA young girl was bitten by a rabid dog, and eventually died rabies.August 7, 1856King, Canada WestUnknown (1)William HughesAdultHughes, an Englishman having lived in Canada for 20 years, was bitten by his own dog, while in the harvest field, on his arm, face, and other parts of his body. The dog was instantly destroyed and medical help was called. He at first seemed to have recovered. While drinking his tea, he suddenly felt he could not drink, as if he had the cold. He grew gradually worse, and doctors attended to him, with no success. At one point, he started barking and making noises as a dog would. He was tied down by nearby as he might have injured himself and others. He died on September 3. He already had done his will before getting ill, after getting bitten. The dog had also bitten two pigs, which had gotten rabies, with one attacking the owner's wife's, but causing no injury. A neighbor's cow died mad shortly before, and shortly after, a sheep from this same neighbor went rabid.1863Québec, Canada EastUnknown (At least two)William Price +-74 yearsAttacked by his neighbors' dogs while having a walk in his neighborhood. Never fully recovered from the wounds, dying in 1867, apparently as a result of the attack.c. 1865NewfoundlandUnknown (Unknown)UnknownYoungA little girl was killed, with the dogs eating most of her face. The island's dogs were known to attack horses, cows, other dogs and people out of hunger.December 2, 1866Lanark Township, Canada WestUnknown (1)Son of Mr. BallintineYoungMr Ballintine's son was bitten in the morning by a mad dog. He had 23 wounds on his left arm, 8 on his right hand. The boy initially did not show serious symptoms. A remedy was given, but ultimately did not work. His state gradually worsened, and he died.April 16, 1869QuébecUnknown (1)UnknownUnknownPassersby noticed a dog eating a piece of meat. Upon closer inspection, they noticed the dog was eating the body of a young child.c. 1876Nova ScotiaUnknown (1)UnknownAdultA Presbyterian minister was bitten by a rabid dog and died of the disease six years later, in 1882.March 17, 1884Saint-Sauveur, QuebecNewfoundland dog (2)Madelène Jobin57 yearsJobin was attacked by two large Newfoundland dogs as she was coming back from her home. She was bitten by the dogs, but managed to escape to her home. She at first seemed to be recovering, but died not much later.December 5, 1888Halifax, Nova ScotiaUnknown (1)UnknownNewly bornThe body of a newly born child was found alongside a dog, in the process of eating it.November, 1891Maloney Township, (near or at) Gatineau, QuébecUnknown (1)Son of William Doley14 yearsWilliam Doley's son was bitten by a rabid dog and immediately had rabies symptoms, convulsed, and died.c. 1896NewfoundlandUnknown (At least 2)Unknown14 yearsAn Inuk ("Eskimo") boy was attacked by dogs as he brought a seal he had hunted back to his home. The dogs ate the seal and the boy.1897Tête-à-la-Baleine, QuébecUnknown (4)Murphy13 yearsShe was sent to her uncle's nearby house by her parents. She was attacked by dogs, and was found a few hours after the attack, with parts of her head and throat missing. Four dogs were resting near her, apparently waiting for her body to cool, as they did with reindeers.November 6, 1897Battle Harbor, LabradorUnknown (Unknown)Unknown13 yearsA 13-year-old girl was eaten by dogs.March 25, 1898Forteau, LabradorUnknown (Unknown)Unknown man Unknown manAdultTwo men were eaten by dogs.c. 1901QuebecUnknown (7)Marie Adeline PrattAdultWhile her husband was initially suspected of murdering Pratt, it was later concluded that her wounds were caused by her dogs, which had bitten her while she was extremely drunk ("ivre-mort"), and that she had died from the wounds or the resulting "fright". She did not feed her dogs while drunk, and medical experts believed the dogs' hunger led to the attack.c. 1905Okak, LabradorCanadian Eskimo Dogs (Unknown)Unknown woman Unknown childUnknownA woman and her child were killed by dogs.c. 1906Indian Harbor, LabradorSled dogs (9)Robert Crumby25 yearsCrumby was out to obtain a load of firewood supplies driving a sled, when his dogs turned on him and killed him. He was found by a team that departed 20 minutes after him, already dead and being eaten by his dogs. The dogs were especially fierce, two of them having to be fought off with axes. They were all shot. The pack was known to be "bad", and usually wasn't used by a single manc. 1909Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur, QuébecUnknown (1)Parent72 yearsParent was attacked in a field by a dog and ended up dying from the wounds it inflicted.1910Dundas, OntarioUnknown (1)Taylor14 yearsThe victim was bitten on the lips by a dog. He was brought to the Hamilton hospital, frothing and barking like a dog, in apparent pain. The victim died in 1910, at the hospital in Hamilton. According to medical experts, it was the first case of rabies in Ontario. The dog had not shown symptoms of rabies. The victim kicked the dog with such strength that it died two days later.December 8, 1912St. Thomas, OntarioUnknown (1)Alexandra Dean or May Kenn4 yearsShe attempted to stroke a stray dog, which bit her on the cheek, and took ill. She was thought to have died of rabies, but did not exhibit some symptoms. It was the first death from hydrophobia in St. Thomas. The police did not find the dog, but the police did destroy similar-looking dogs.1918OntarioBulldog (1)David StrathearnAdultStrathearn was bitten by his pet bulldog, which was shot on the spot. He thought nothing of it, but after some time, he became ill, eventually dying of rabies on 12 August 1918, a few weeks after the attack.1919-1920UnknownUnknown (1)J. F. Egan24 yearsEgan, a trapper, was checking his traps when he lost consciousness. His dog then ate his head.November 1925Bonne Bay or Bartlett's Harbour, NewfoundlandUnknown (At least two)Charles Hines (or Hinds)4 or 6 yearsHinds was attacked by dogs belonging to his parents near the house's door. The dogs attacked the men who went to rescue the child. Only bones and the head of Hines were found.January 7, 1929Kirkland Lake, OntarioCollies (2)Germaine Lafontaine6 yearsLafontaine went out to play in the snow at her family's home, around two miles from Kirkland Lake. Bougie, whose family shared home with Lafontaine's, coming back from Kirkland Lake in a sled, found her a few hours later, unconscious, scalped and her body torn. She was brought to the home and healers were called, but her injuries were so extensive that all attempts were fruitless. She died around two hours later, without having gained back consciousness. Her parents, who were in the house at the time, had not heard any scream. The two dogs were destroyed.September 22, 1929Wendover, OntarioUnknown (1)Philippe Villeneuve9 yearsVilleneuve was bitten near his home by a rabid dog. He was bitten in seven places, including the head, wrist and face. He was transported to an Ottawa hospital on Water Road, where he died on October 14 of the same year. According to medical experts, a bite in the victim's inferior lip caused the death by reaching the victim's head before the anti-rabies treatment. A jury assembled in the town hall to investigate Villeneuve's death concluded that the federal government should have taken more measures to protect humans after the first case of rabies was found in the county. It recommended the usage of vaccine for animals against rabies, and to quarantine the neighboring counties. The jury also recommended that all expenses incurred by the victim's father be paid by the federal government. It was apparently the first such death by rabies in Ontario, despite the victim quickly being treated for rabies.11 or 12 July 1931Saint-Timothée, QuébecUnknown (1)Unknown5 monthsThe child's parents, Mr. and Mme. Davidson, left the child alone with the family's trusted dog. The house's exterior door was locked, but the doors inside were not, leaving the dog able to move. When the parents came back, they found the child's mangled corpse, with the dog in the corner of the room, with a bloodied mouth. The dog was shot on the spot with a revolver.1933Greece's Point, QuébecUnknown (1)Octave Dupuis9 yearsDupuis was bitten by a stray dog. He was first treated at a private clinic in Hawkesbury, and went home, seemingly fine. He died of rabies a few weeks after the attack, around 7 July 1933.c. 1933Manitoba (?)Sled dogs (At least two)Jean Boulanger +-7 years at attack