CambridgeToday received the following letter on recent dog attacks in east Galt.
I saw one of the notices that had been posted in the Pollock area of east Galt and was disturbed when I realized that the dog described in the notice had recently attacked again.
We knew the little dog that was killed three months ago and were heartbroken to hear of the attack that killed him. He was the perfect family dog and a neighbourhood favourite. The only comfort was that the family’s children were not present to witness the incident.
Twenty-six years ago, while staying at a cottage in Muskoka, our family dog was mauled by an off-leash mastiff. Shortly after the attack, the vet told us that they were unable to control the pain Trixie was experiencing so we made the decision to put her to sleep.
The aftermath was difficult. We had to deal with town officials and other locals describing the incident as a “dog fight” as if Trixie, a geriatric cairn terrier with a strong resemblance to Toto from the "Wizard of Oz,” had been strolling through the woods looking for trouble.
The woman who was walking the mastiff verbally agreed to pay vet costs. Her husband disagreed and stated so in no uncertain terms during a hostile phone call. He was also adamant that the dog would not be put down.
Ontario has the Dog Owners’ Liability Act and one of its provisions provides that the court may order “that the dog be destroyed in the manner specified in the order.”
We went to the Bracebridge OPP detachment who promptly laid a charge under the act. Subsequently, the crown attorney agreed to drop the charge once proof of the dog’s euthanasia was provided. As a result the dog was put to sleep.
We were extremely fortunate that the OPP took action, but such enforcement is rare. Local police and animal control don’t invoke the Act, despite its straightforward nature and minimal court time requirements.
Had the Act been properly enforced three months ago, the recent attack that resulted in a person requiring hospital treatment could well have been prevented.
I strongly urge local residents to contact their MPP and city councillors to advocate for strict enforcement of the Dog Owners' Liability Act.
Jill Marks
Cambridge
