Woman accused of owning dogs that attacked girls, elderly man
Bylaw officers issued the tickets Monday morning to a woman at a home on Tarawood Road, said Tony Thomas, a spokesman for the city's bylaw services. The alleged infractions include having a dog at large, having an unlicensed dog and having an animal that attacks a person causing injury.
The woman, who hasn't been named, is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 13 and faces fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
"We are satisfied we have enough evidence to put before the court," said Thomas. "If the court finds that the person we have charged is the owner, then we will be applying for a vicious, dangerous [dog] hearing."
Sisters attacked
Two dogs attacked a man delivering flyers on Saddlemont Way on June 24. He was able to block them with a delivery cart, but the animals went on to bite two young girls walking with their grandfather nearby on Saddlemont Close.
The dogs came up behind the girls — Bhavkiran Mahal, 3, and her sister Perveen, 4 — and started biting their faces and arms. A neighbour who saw the first attack chased the dogs off.
One of the dogs was caught and is being held at animal services. The second dog, described as a tan-coloured pit bull, was picked up by a woman in a blue minivan who then drove off, according to witness reports.
"We are still hoping that the second dog will be presented to us," Thomas said on Monday. "It would be nice if we could know where that dog is, so we could move on."
A similar vehicle was seen leaving the scene of another dog attack in Taradale in May that sent an elderly man to hospital.
Witnesses at that time said the unleashed, medium-sized dogs were picked up by two women who put them in the back of a dark-coloured van and sped off.