Dog owner facing charges after serious incident involving a child
CALGARY –Animal & Bylaw Services (ABS) is urging dog owners to act responsibly after another serious dog bite incident on Wednesday night involving a child.
At around 7 p.m. on July 16, ABS responded to the community of Bridlewood on reports that a 3-year-old had been bitten by a Mastiff.
When they arrived, officers learned the female child had been in the yard with a family friend’s dog when the incident occurred.
“She went outside with the dog. A few minutes later, the family heard a bark and the child crying,” says Alvin Murray, North Operations Manager for ABS.
The child was taken to hospital where she received medical attention for a serious dog bite to the face.
The adult male Mastiff has been seized and is in the custody of ABS. The incident is still under investigation and charges are pending against the owner.
“We cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure interactions between dogs and children are properly supervised. It only takes a second for something serious and irreversible to happen,” says Murray.
While charges have yet to be laid, a mandatory court appearance is required in all serious aggressive dog incidents and consequences will be determined by a judge. These consequences may include fines up to $10,000.
Meanwhile, the owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier involved in a fatal attack on a poodle Saturday has now been charged with Dog Causing Death to Another Animal and two counts of Having Unlicensed Dogs. The dog involved was turned over to ABS today and will undergo an assessment after a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
In Calgary, all dogs that show aggressive behaviour will be investigated and pet owners will be held responsible under the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw.
“We want to remind all dog owners that they are responsible for protecting our community from their dogs and if they don’t, there will be consequences,” says Murray.
For more information on responsible pet ownership, visit calgary.ca/animalservices.
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