At around 2 p.m. on Aug. 13, Marjorie Barton says she was knocked over by a pit bull and another large dog of mixed breed as she walked her small dog with a friend along a path bordering the Coldwater River near Voght Park.
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| Marjorie Barton's four-year-old Pomeranian, Foxy Lady, is alive and recovering following an attack by a pit bull. |
"The dogs just came flying through the air," explains Barton.
Barton says she grabbed her four-year-old Pomeranian, Foxy Lady, and held her above her head in order to protect her before the two dogs knocked her to the ground.
"They managed to get (bite) her shoulders and neck. They bit through my hand."
Worse yet, Barton says the owner of the two dogs fled the scene following the attack.
"He just grabbed the dogs and ran."
Following the attack, Barton headed to Kamloops to be treated for her injuries at Royal Inland Hospital and where Foxy Lady was operated on at a veterinarian clinic.
"She'll be another month recuperating. I'm just lucky she was never killed.
"I don't ever want to walk there."
Barton estimates her total costs for medical and veterinarian treatments at about $1,600.
City of Merritt bylaw enforcement investigated the incident and found that the suspected dogs may also have been involved in at least two other incidents.
City bylaw enforcement officer Bob Davis says one of those dogs has since disappeared.
"We haven't had a conflict in the park since the dog disappeared," says Davis.
Davis, who has only been in office for a month and a half and spends upwards of six hours a day dealing just with dog complaints, says he is already frustrated with the "lack of responsibility" of dog owners in the city.
"People have negated their responsibility as dog owners and of stewardship … people are insistent that their dog is well behaved and doesn't need to be on a leash in a people park."
He says bylaw enforcement has spoken with the suspected dog owner but was not able to levy any fines without proof.
He adds that bylaw enforcement is currently carrying out regular patrols of the city's parks looking for off-leash dogs.
Current city bylaws state that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times and that they are not allowed in playgrounds or on sports fields. The city hands out fines of up to $200 to violators. Bylaw can also designate dogs as "dangerous," resulting in an increased licensing fee of $1,000. A "dangerous dog" must also be securely confined and/or muzzled.
The city also suggests dog owners utilize the designated dog park, located behind Merritt's recycling depot on Main Street.
"I'm seeing a higher degree of compliance, but all it takes is one," says Davis.
Barton has also filed a report with RCMP. No charges have yet been laid.
"People like that should not own dangerous dogs, because they don't have enough brains to look after themselves," says Barton.
She says she would like to see the City ban pit bulls.
(Merritt News - Sept 7, 2011)
