Two dogs -- large, powerful mastiffs -- that terrorized an Old East London neighbourhood before being shot and killed by police had a "long history" with animal control officers.

The dogs, a dogue de Bordeau or French mastiff and an English-bred bullmastiff, were shot after lunging at several people, including a police officer who shot and wounded one dog on Elias St. shortly after 6 a.m. yesterday.

"Fortunately, it occurred in the early morning when there are few people on the street. Otherwise, it could have been a much worse situation," said Sgt. Blair Harvey.

"A large, 100-pound-plus dog can certainly cause serious harm to other animals, children, or adults. . . . When the officer shot the dog, it was hit in the chest and it didn't even stop."

The animals' owner had been fined and received court summons "numerous" times over the last several years, including for biting incidents that led to muzzle orders, said Kent Lattanzio, director of operations at London Animal Care and Control.

"We respond to aggressive dog complaints on a daily basis and I'd say these dogs were higher on the scale of aggressiveness than most dogs we deal with," said Lattanzio, who declined to identify the owner by name or address.

Lattanzio said his office won't pursue charges since the dogs are dead, but said police could lay charges under the Dog Owner's Liability Act.

Police said they have identified the owner and are still investigating.

Police were called to Elias St. shortly before 6 a.m. after a report of two dogs that attacked and killed a cat, tearing it apart. Over the next 30 minutes, the dogs lunged at several residents, including a cyclist, a woman putting out garbage, a man outside his home and a police officer.

No one was hurt.

The dogs were first spotted near Lorne Ave. public school at English St., where the cat was killed.

The dogs continued north on English to Elias, where one lunged at a passing cyclist and then chased a man into his vehicle. When police and an animal control official arrived, they couldn't capture the dogs.

"They were trying to corral the dogs when one of them went after the officer and he pulled out his service pistol and shot it in the chest," said Harvey.

Police followed the dogs down Elizabeth St. to a CP Rail yard where they used shotguns to kill them.