Second Toronto dog killed by utility short

TORONTO, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- For the second time in two months, a Toronto dog in a west-end neighborhood was electrocuted after stepping on an electric utility base plate.

Mrak, a 7-year-old Labrador-poodle mix was being walked by Dusko Avramovic's son early Tuesday when he stepped on the plate and collapsed, the Toronto Sun reported.

Avramovic rushed to the scene when his son phoned him, and the fire department and police also responded, the report said.

He said when he touched the dog to begin resuscitation, he too got a shock.

"If I was shocked, what if a kid tried to pick up something?" he said.

Firefighters were unable to save the dog.

The Toronto Hydro utility cut power to the box soon after, and said it would renew a sweep of the area for stray voltage using infrared cameras and visual inspections, the Toronto Star said.

Late in November in the same area, a German shepherd was electrocuted after making contact with a steel utility pole.