The owner of the dog that promises to abide by the decision of SaanichB次元官网网址檚 animal control services. The Staffordshire terrier, one of the breeds commonly referred to as a pit bull, attacked a 15-year-old dog who was walking on leash with its owners along the Colquitz River Trail.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my fault,B次元官网网址� said Mike, who did not want to use his last name. B次元官网网址淢y dog got loose on me.B次元官网网址�
Mike said he has owned dogs for 35 years and never had an incident that resulted in an injury to a person or another dog. B次元官网网址淭his was a very unfortunate incident,B次元官网网址� he said.
Sgt. Jereme Leslie of the Saanich Police said the incident remains under investigation. Animal control services could either deem the dog B次元官网网址渄angerousB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址渁ggressive,B次元官网网址� with B次元官网网址渄angerousB次元官网网址� dogs subjects to more severe restrictions such as muzzling.
Mike said the restrictions on dogs deemed B次元官网网址渄angerousB次元官网网址� could be prohibitively expensive and force their owners to put them down.
The incident happened at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Interurban Road and Dumeresq Street.
A Saanich couple was walking with their dog Coco on the Colquitz River Trail near Colquitz middle school when MikeB次元官网网址檚 dog escaped his hold.
B次元官网网址淚 had attached the leash to his collar and had stepped on the leash, so I could use both hands to put the halter back on,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 was just putting the halter on when my dog started to squirm and managed to escape my clutches.B次元官网网址�
Mike said a large cedar hedge obstructed his view of what was happening. B次元官网网址淢y initial concern was my dog running onto the street or onto Interurban. Only after rounding the corner did I see the couple and their dog Coco.B次元官网网址�
Contrary to previous reports, Mike said he did not see his dog immediately attack the other dog.
B次元官网网址滺e ran up to the man and his dog and for a moment the two dogs met nose to nose,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 could see both dogs had very alert postures. There was a very brief pause and sniff, but things changed very quickly. I saw my dog reach out and I knew he probably bit Coco.B次元官网网址�
He said CocoB次元官网网址檚 owner did his best to try to break things up, first by kicking the Staffordshire and then by falling on both dogs.
Mike said he does not know why his dog would bite. B次元官网网址淚n my experience when two strange dogs meet, if one dog is apprehensive and twitches or growls or feints a nip, the other dog may respond just as my dog did,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here was no doubt that there was tension in the air as I could see the apprehension on the face of CocoB次元官网网址檚 owner. It did not help thatB次元官网网址oco is an older female and my dog is a young rambunctious male.B次元官网网址�
The injuries to Coco required veterinarian treatment that added up to $1,300. Mike covered that bill, but also questioned the extent of the treatment that the dog received.
He said he understands that the incident has traumatized the couple, but also said the incident appears as something that it was not. B次元官网网址淭he dog is portrayed as some huge pit bull which aggressively charged at this other dog and went around the owner to get at him,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat is not what I saw.B次元官网网址�
Mike said his dog weighs about 70 pounds B次元官网网址� not 130 pounds as described by the owner of the other dog. B次元官网网址淚 agree that the public needs to be protected against dangerous dogs,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut the question is how we protect them.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 have nothing to apologize for,B次元官网网址� he said, when asked whether he had apologized to the couple. B次元官网网址淭hey [the couple] were a lot happier that I paid the [veterinarian] bill.B次元官网网址�
wolfgang.depner@saanichnews.com
