Sue Strickland is hoping others will heed her warning after her two-year-old dalmatian, Dot, was attacked May 29 while at the Cemetery South off leash dog park. What makes the situation a bit unusual is that Dot was not attacked by another dog using the park but by a dog in the backyard of a residence backing on to the park.
“I want people to be aware not to let their dogs go near these fences because it is a danger, especially with these little tiny dogs,” she said. “They just have to be cautious of these fences because there are angry dogs behind these fences because our dogs are off and running and they’re behind these fences.”
Strickland said her adult son was at the off leash with Dot when he heard the young dog screaming.
“He went running towards the fence and realized the dog (in the backyard) was trying to pull (Dot) under,” she said. “He started screaming and the dog kind of let her go. It ripped her face, ripped her nose – almost ripped her nose off.”
According to Strickland, the dog – which she thought was a brown lab – was holding onto Dot’s nose and running back and forth, dragging her along a large hole in the fence, creating a wound on the top of her snout. She said the hole is approximately seven inches deep by two feet long.
Strickland and her son took the roughly 42-pound injured dog to City Centre Animal Hospital located at Tower Lane Mall. After leaving Dot with the veterinarian, they went to speak to the owner of the dog that had hurt her.
“We went over and he was aware that it had happened,” Strickland said. “He said he was really sorry. When we went and got the dog out of the vet (clinic) a couple of hours later, my husband and my son went to the home and presented them with the bill.”
Strickland said the dog’s owner was only able financially to cover half of the almost $700 bill, but she was grateful for that.
Despite the severity of the attack, Strickland said she decided not to call Municipal Enforcement (ME) and report the incident.
“I didn’t report it because I talked to a bylaw officer as they were walking through the park and she said if (Dot) stuck her nose under the fence, it was her fault and there’s nothing they could do,” she said. “So I thought, well, what’s the sense in calling? I don’t want to cause trouble for anybody because the people were very co-operative.”
According to Lynn Mackenzie, team leader of ME, officers did report being approached by someone at the park but were only provided with limited information and no specific information about where the incident took place.
“Without having seen the incident or having been provided these most basic details, the officers were limited as to the follow up they could provide. If the resident wishes, she is welcome to call ME and provide these details so officers can investigate,” she said in an email to the Airdrie City View.
“As well, under our Dog Control Bylaw, officers can provide the owner a notice with a condition to contain and control the dog by fixing the hole in their fence. But again, an investigation would need to be done to determine if this was appropriate.”
Strickland said she was still considering whether or not she would follow up with ME.
Strickland said she has been back to the off leash park with Dot and her other male dalmatian.
“Everybody we meet we say, ‘Don’t go near that fence,’” she said. “I’d like to put a beware of dog sign on the fence but that’s not my responsibility. (The homeowners) should have something there.”
