The dog in question belongs to Wayne Pelley, who told The Compass via email his dog, Rane, just had a litter of pups less than two weeks ago.
Pelley said Rane has been at his parent's home on the lane for around seven months and is always chained in the same place when she is outside. He also noted the neighbourhood children know and play with her.
According to the Newman family, their daughter required some 40 stitches after the incident, which they say was unprovoked.
"His dog came out and jumped on (Rosemary) and dragged her on the ground," explained father, Wayne Newman.
Rosemary's mother, whom her daughter is named, said two of her daughters, 12-year-old Stephanie and Rosemary, were walking home from Powell's Supermarket on Harvey Street when the event took place.
Young Rosemary was taken to Carbonear Hospital and immediately transported to the Janeway Children's Hospital via ambulance.
No charges have been laid in the incident.
"The RCMP said there won't be charges laid, but there will," Newman stated, referring to an alleged assault on his wife by Pelley that he claims happened as the young girl was getting in the ambulance.
"He gave me a crack upside the face, so naturally I shoved him back," Rosemary's mother said. "I'm still waiting to hear from the RCMP to see if I can press charges, which I plan on doing."
Pelley agrees there was an altercation but denied laying a hand on Rosemary's mother.
In fact, he suggested the opposite - she assaulted him.
"She pushed me to the ground. Then three others were going to attack me and my mother," he claimed. "She even uttered threats towards us, so that's what set me off."
Police investigated
The Trinity Conception RCMP was called, and a police report was completed on the incident.
"There was a dog chained on in a yard and a young girl tugged on the dog's chain," Const. Steve Squires told The Compass. "The dog just had a new litter of pups and I guess it aggravated her, and then she bit the young girl."
Squires said the injuries noted in the report were minor and non-life-threatening, but the girl was brought to Carbonear Hospital to get checked out. The number of stitches was not included in the report.
So far, said Squires, charges have not been laid because the police have to take into account the totality of the situation.
"The dog was tethered as required, and the young girl was approaching a strange dog," he explained.
No stranger
Pelley said Rane is a pure bred Siberian husky, and does not contain any Pit bull, like Rosemary's father had publicly stated last week. He also said the family knows the dog, and has visited her on more than one occasion.
"Wayne has stopped with the little girl so she could pat her, and has expressed how kind and beautiful my dog is," he said.
Pelley believes the situation was unfortunate, but the police statement is accurate.
"I have an eye witness who was with Rane and her puppies when someone started pulling her chain trying to get her to come out (of the yard)," he continued. "Unfortunately it was this little girl."
If the situation had been different, and it was a random bite, Pelley said he would have had the dog put down.
"That is not what happened, and Rane is not going anywhere," he stated.
Family not satisfied
The Newman family did not agree with the police report or Pelley's version of the events. They claim a statement was never taken from any of them on the incident and may have to take things further.
"(The police) never even bothered to come here and take a statement," the father said. "If worse comes to worse, I'll have to go to the court house, take the little girl in front of the judge and get a court order to put the dog down."
Newman said he believes the dog was on a 25-foot chain tied onto the steps of the home, and she was too close to the road.
"It shouldn't be allowed to come up along side of the pavement," he stated, adding his concern right now is his daughter, and he'll deal with the dog issue when she is better.
Pelley argued young Rosemary had to come at least 10 feet onto the property in order to reach the chain in the first place.
He has sympathy for the child, and believes it could have been avoided.
"I have to say my heart goes out to the little girl," he said. "Rane just went out in an instinctive manner to protect her puppies."
It is unknown if Rosemary will have permanent scars, but she will return to the Janeway in July for a follow-up appointment with a plastic surgeon.
According to her mother, Rosemary feels the constant attention is affecting her.
"There are so many faces around, and she is seeing people she normally wouldn't see, all having a look (at her)," she said. "She's very uncomfortable."
The father aid she is still in a lot of pain, and it will take a long time for her to recover.
(The Compass - May 14, 2013)
