Story The City of North Battleford has been hit by a wave of dog attacks over the past few weeks.
Special constables report they had to deal with at least four separate dog attack incidents in June.
June 2, an unlicensed dog broke through a fence and bit an eight-year-old girl. The girl went to the hospital to be treated, while the dog had to be euthanized a. It tested negatively for rabies.
June 4, a dog escaped from its leash and attacked another dog, with one of the pet owners also sustaining a bite in that attack.
A large dog attacked a smaller one June 7. Both dogs were at large at the time. The owner of the large dog has assumed responsibility for the vet bills for the injuries to the smaller dog.
Finally, June 8, there was another incident of a large dog attacking a smaller dog, with the owner paying the vet bill. All the animals were licensed in the June 7 and 8 incidents.
North Battleford special constable Ross MacAngus says spring normally sees more of these incidents because pets are more likely to be out of the house, and "people don't pay as much attention as they should and let their animals get into a little trouble."
As concerning as the incidents are, MacAngus notes it could have been far worse. He notes however, "a dog bite is still nothing to laugh at and still a very traumatic thing for a young child."
MacAngus simply wants the message to get out to dog and pet owners to be responsible, noting all incidents could have been prevented through responsible dog ownership. The special constables stress all pet owners must ensure pets are licensed, restrained and never at large.
MacAngus wants,"people to be more vigilant with their animals and to definitely make sure they're looking after them."
While licensing is required by City bylaw, McAngus explains that requirement has a safety purpose. When an animal is found at large the license information can be used to return the animal to the owners.
He added that owners run the risk of having their pets being declared dangerous by a judge in a court of law. That could result in the pet being euthanized, hefty fines and penalties for attacks. Even if the dangerous animal is not euthanized, the license fees would go up to $1,250 a year and the owner would be required to carry costly liability insurance, as well as other restrictions. MacAngus also wants the message to get out that even a small dog could be deemed a dangerous dog if it gets into enough trouble.
