A Canadian woman has avoided a prison sentence after her two Cane Corso dogs killed her roommate's 11-year-old son, with a judge citing the racism and abuse she suffered growing up as an Indigenous person as a mitigating factor. Crystal MacDonald, 46, was found guilty of criminal negligence over the death of Kache Grist, who was mauled in her Edmonton home in April 2024; prosecutors had sought a five-year prison term. The case has reignited debate in Canada over claims of "two-tier justice", where sentencing outcomes differ according to a defendant's ethnic background.

Judge Eric Macklin handed MacDonald two years of house arrest and 200 hours of community service after considering an "Indigenous Background Report" detailing sexual abuse and racist discrimination she had experienced. Kache died from bite injuries to the neck after being left alone with the dogs, Khaos and Kairo, which had previously attacked a neighbour and killed a Pomeranian and a cat; both animals were later euthanised. MacDonald was also given a lifetime ban on owning dogs, appealable after ten years, and her lawyer has already filed an appeal against her conviction.