Family of 6-year-old attacked by dog in Thunder Bay wants more accountability from animal's owner

The family of a six-year-old is calling for greater accountability from the owner of a dog that attacked the girl a week ago, leaving her with injuries.

Willow Royer was playing outside during a sleepover at a home on Wiley Street under the supervision of her friend's mother last Tuesday. When the mother went inside to fill a cup with water, a woman approached with a dog on a retractable leash.

It was after the dog's owner gave Willow permission to pet it, the animal allegedly latched onto the girl's head before the woman dislodged it.

"When the neighbour showed us the footage and we heard the audio, I just broke down and cried — like I couldn't listen to it," said Adam Royer, Willow's father. "I had to go back inside because hearing your child scream like that was just unbelievable."

The girl now has scars above her right eye, lacerations to the top and back of her scalp, and scrapes on her foot. She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.

The family is meeting with their lawyer later this week to determine how to proceed.

Royer said he doesn't blame the dog owner for the attack or the mother of Willow's friend for not being there at that very moment, but he's frustrated the owner just left after the incident.

"Dogs can be unpredictable. My daughter's always been taught to ask and be wary — and so accidents do happen," said Royer. "I understand this. I have two big dogs myself, so I'm not mad at her that her dog bit my daughter. I'm upset because she just left her there."

A video appears to show the owner admonishing the dog and threatening not to let it outside for a time before leaving the scene.

Long recovery ahead

Royer said the incident has severely impacted his family — his daughter and his wife now struggle to sleep.

"She's scared of people a little bit. If someone comes to the door to see her and anything like that, she's really standoffish and worried about people. And every time I bring her out, she immediately asks me, 'Am I going to get bit by a dog again?' She's terrified. She has nightmares now," he said.

Royer added he does not know how she will heal past the incident.

"She's got blurry vision out of her right eye, so we still have to wait," he said. "The family doctor wants us to bring her in so she can get checked out. They just want some of the stitches and everything to heal up, but she is terrified of dogs now."

The family has booked eye specialist appointments for Willow and plans to send her to counselling.

"We have a family doctor meeting coming up in the next couple weeks, and from there, we're going to see what the doctor wants to do. But we're positive she's going to need counselling and therapy for this," said Royer. "So that is going to be one of the next steps when she's more healed." 

Bylaw investigating

The family also called Thunder Bay's bylaw department.

Under civil law, dog owners are "liable for damages resulting from a bite or attack by the dog on another person or domestic animal.'

Royer said that three days after the attack, a bylaw officer came to the home to investigate the matter, but his family already went door to door to collect video and accounts from neighbours about what they saw and heard.

"Municipal Enforcement Services can confirm there is an open bite investigation in the Simpson-Ogden neighbourhood," said Doug Vincent, manager of Licensing and Enforcement. "Our officers are working on confirming information in this particular case, and as it is under investigation, cannot provide any further information." 

Royer said he will accept whatever the local justice system determines is necessary to deal with the matter.

"I'm an animal lover, so I would really not want the dog to be put down and my daughter doesn't even want the dog put down. Like, she was mauled by it and even she says she doesn't want the dog killed," said Royer. "But the owner has to be held accountable." 

To prevent similar incidents, Royer suggests that parents be mindful and teach their children to not touch anyone's dog unless they know the animal. He said that pet owners must also take safety steps, such as muzzling dogs prone to biting.