Man charged after dog ejected from back of pickup truck while doing 'doughnuts'

North Bay police cruiser. May 20/21 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)

North Bay police are accusing a man of doing doughnuts with a dog in the bed of his pickup truck resulting in the canine being ejected from the vehicle.

Officers responded after several complaints about a man seen driving dangerously in the parking lot of a Lakeshore Drive business on Jan. 21, police said in a news release.

"The accused is alleged to have been driving in circles at a high rate of speed (i.e.'doing doughnuts') in his pickup truck while a dog was present in the bed of the truck. It is alleged that at one point during the dangerous driving, the dog was thrown from the bed of the truck," police said.

The driver, a 32-year-old man from South River – a town about 60 kilometres south of North Bay – was identified, arrested and charged three days later.

"Animal Welfare Services is investigating the incident further to identify and assess any potential injuries the dog may have sustained as a result of the incident," police said.

As a result, the man is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and animal cruelty.

He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on March 1.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.