Punt: Toronto Hydro on electrocuted dog

I have two dogs, so this already-big story resonated especially strongly with me. A Toronto man watched his dog die in front of him after the poor pooch stepped on an electrified metal plate while out for a walk. "Stray voltage" is the term used to describe what happens when utility covers or poles or what have you suddenly become unintended conductors of electricity. It was a terrible incident all on its own, but a doubly difficult one for Toronto Hydro, as it was the second such canine fatality on the same street in two months. Hydro spokesman Blair Peberdy responded with the right expressions of sympathy and regret, coupled with details of a city-wide sweep launched by the utility to make sure there aren't similar problems anywhere else. It was pretty good crisis communications, but what I thought was missing was any quantification of the scope of the problem. I live across town, but should I fear for my dogs' lives? All we heard was that the same thing had happened before on the same street, and that Toronto Hydro is checking to see how widespread it might be. Is this not, surely, a very rare occurrence? Are there any stats to reassure the public that they need not fear every manhole cover in their neighbourhood? If there are, I didn't see them ...