Dog attack sends 2 children to hospital in Saskatoon

Warning: this story contains graphic images.

A dog attack on Wednesday sent two Saskatoon kids to the hospital.

The Saskatoon Police Service said they received several calls about a dog at large in the 2700 block of 33rd Street West on Wednesday afternoon, according to a news release.

Saskatoon Police patrol officers and Saskatoon Animal Control Agency officers went to the area at around 4:20 p.m. CST. When the officers got to the area, they learned the dog had bitten a five-year-old and a 13-year-old, police said.

Both children were brought to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

Davius Christopherson, age five, was treated for multiple puncture wounds and was given seven stitches, according to his father Connor Christopherson. 

"He was playing out in the front yard with his grandmother while I was at work and the neighbours' dog was chewing through the fence, being really aggressive. My grandmother asked them to take the dog inside. She was scared it would get out of the fence," Connor told CBC News Thursday evening.

"They said, 'no, the dog is very friendly.'"

Connor said he believes it was a pitbull who attacked Davius.

"This dog came out and it just ran at him and attacked him for no reason, nothing to provoke it. It wouldn't let go of his arm."

Connor said Davius has scrapes and bruises all over his body from trying to get the dog off him.

"When I arrived there, I saw Davius being carried into an ambulance on a stretcher. It was quite heartbreaking to see. It was quite horrible for a five year old to go through all this."

Davius has been very brave, even attending his last day of school Thursday, Connor said.

Police say the dog also attacked at least two adults trying to help the children — one being a relative of the dog's owner.

Connor said he spoke with the dog's owner Thursday morning. He said the owner informed him that he had warned the relative to not let the dog out but, "she disregarded him and brought the dog out anyway."

Connor said the owner has checked in with Davius and apologized to him.

"Davius had a lot of trauma from this and it all could have been avoided. I am a little disappointed," Connor said.

CBC was unable to reach the dog's owner. The owner's relative declined to be interviewed. 

The dog was taken by the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency with the owner's consent, according to police.

The City of Saskatoon said Thursday afternoon that the owner of the animal in question voluntarily surrendered the dog to the agency. 

"The dog is being held at the pound for evaluation and will remain there for the foreseeable future while the investigation and evaluation are completed. Generally speaking, once an investigation is done and if the investigator is recommending either a dangerous animal hearing or charges against the owner, the file is turned over to prosecutors in the City Solicitor's Office for any possible court action against an owner," the statement said.

The city's bylaws say owning an animal that attacks, assaults, wounds, bites or kills can warrant a fine of $250 for the first offence, $500 for the second offence and $750 for the third offence.