Charges laid in relation to two aggressive dog incidents

Animal & Bylaw Services (ABS) has laid charges in relation to two serious incidents involving aggressive dogs.

In the first case, a man has been charged in relation to an incident in which a cat was killed.

At around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, witnesses reported two dogs attacking a cat in an alley in Rosedale near 7 Street and 14 Avenue N.W.

“The dogs, a Husky and a Bouvier, had been running at large at the time of the incident. We later determined the owner of the dogs was out of town and had left the pets in the care of someone else,” says Abdul Rafih, acting manager of north operations at ABS.

That person has now been charged with two counts of Dog at Large and two counts of Animal Cause Death to Another Animal.

In a separate matter, the owners of a dog involved in a July incident in Springbank have now been charged following a lengthy investigation.

At around 6:50 a.m. on July 29, a woman was running along Springbank Crescent S.W. with her dog when the pair was attacked by a Great Dane. The woman and her Schnauzer both sustained serious injuries.

“After speaking to the victim, a man who had been walking the aggressive dog, left the scene. We have now laid charges against that man and his wife, who is the dog’s owner,” says Rafih.

The pair have been charged with two counts of Animal Running at Large, two counts of Animal Cause Damage to Another Animal and two counts of Animal Bite a Person.

The dogs in both cases have been taken into custody by ABS. A mandatory court appearance is required in both cases and consequences could include fines up to $10,000. In all serious dog bite incidents, the owners can sign the dogs over to The City of Calgary or have a Provincial Court Judge decide on the dogs’ fate.

In Calgary, all aggressive dog incidents will be investigated and pet owners will be held accountable under the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw. ABS takes public safety seriously and the bylaw is in place to help ensure this safety for all Calgarians.

For more information on responsible pet ownership, visit calgary.ca/animalservices.