CANADA -- A toddler was rushed to hospital Wednesday evening after a dog bit her in the face in southwest Calgary. Charges are pending against the pet owner, a friend of the family.
Police were called to the 16000 block of 24th Street S.W. in the community of Bridlewood just after 6 p.m., after a Neapolitan mastiff bit the child.
Animal and bylaw services say the child was in the yard with the dog when she was bitten.
“She went outside with the dog. A few minutes later, the family heard a bark and the child crying,” Alvin Murray, north operations manager for animal and bylaw services, said in a statement.
The two-year-old girl was taken to the South Calgary Urgent Care Centre in stable condition with “facial lacerations,” said EMS spokesman Adam Loria. She received three stitches for a wound in her lip, and was also treated for a small puncture under her eye and scratches to her face.
The dog was seized by animal and bylaw services. Charges are pending against the owner, who has refused to turn over ownership, said Murray. The dog is currently being held by animal and bylaw services for assessment.
A mandatory court appearance is required in all serious aggressive dog incidents, and penalties include a maximum fine of $10,000.
“Everybody has to be aware of their children and their surroundings but, legally, the dog owner is the one who is responsible for the dog’s actions,” Murray told reporters Thursday afternoon. “It’s not prudent to leave any small child around dogs unattended, it’s a huge safety issue.”
Meanwhile, the owner of the American Staffordshire bull terrier involved in a fatal attack on a poodle Saturday has now been charged with a dog causing death to another animal, and two counts of having unlicenced dogs.
That dog is in animal and bylaw services custody and will be euthanized Friday.
Between Jan. 1 and June 30, there have been 218 reports of dog bites in the city, said Murray. That number includes any bites that puncture the skin or that result in the death of an animal. During the same time frame last year, there were 186 bites.
“We are in our high season,” Murray said. “Kids are out of school now and we do expect to see more incidents during the summer months.”
“One bite is one too many,” he added.
(Calgary Herald - Jul 17, 2014)
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