On Monday morning, Suzanne Pothe’s heart raced as she witnessed a large, strong 90-pound dog charging towards her German shepherd, Sophie, in an uncontrolled manner. This led to a scary attack that has left her feeling shaken.
While walking her dog Sophie on Dalhousie Drive, a resident of Fort Richmond noticed a dog that appeared to be a mix of a Rottweiler dragging its leash on the opposite side of the road.
According to her, the animal belonged to a couple who were close by.
“I felt myself getting tense because I had a feeling that something might occur,” Pothe expressed.
My dog and another dog across the street locked eyes, while the couple kept walking, unaware of what was about to happen.
She explained that she couldn’t quite remember what happened next, but she recalled throwing herself in front of Sophie in order to shield her dog from harm.
“At that moment, the dog suddenly launched a fierce attack on my dog,” she recounted. “The dog was aggressive and wouldn’t back down from attacking my pet. I was panicked and didn’t know how to react. I pleaded with the dog owner to control her dog, but it seemed like she was also scared.”
The assault continued for about a minute until the dogs stopped fighting and the couple walked away with their dog.
Sophie was not injured, but Pothe sustained some slight bruising, according to her account.
The woman did not share her contact details with the couple and has not notified Winnipeg’s Animal Services Agency about the incident. However, she is using the experience to emphasize the importance of owners being vigilant and responsible for their dogs when around other animals.
The situation brings attention to a widespread problem of negligent dog ownership within the city, as shown by annual reports of numerous similar cases in Winnipeg.
From 2020 onwards, Animal Services has given out over 200 citations to pet owners who did not stop their dog (or sometimes cat) from harming another person or animal. This year alone, they have already issued 13 tickets for this reason.
In the same period, 215 individuals have received fines for not keeping their dogs on a leash. Additionally, 92 dog owners have been fined for not controlling their pets from chasing people or other animals, according to the data.
In total, the tickets add up to approximately $133,150 in penalties.
According to D’Arcy Johnston, who established D’Arcy’s Animal Rescue Centre, dog attacks happen frequently but usually only receive widespread attention if there are severe injuries or if a child is the victim.
When you hear about someone getting hurt or a dog being harmed, there is usually a person involved who is not taking responsibility or feeling accountable for their actions.
Johnston told the Free Press that reporters are not interested in reporting that our issue is not with animals, but with humans.
When you hear about someone getting hurt, or a dog in a bad situation, there is usually a person involved who is not taking responsibility or feeling responsible for what happened.
According to the city’s Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw, dogs that attack people must be kept in quarantine for at least 10 days by Animal Services or a veterinary clinic. If the owner does not give up the dog voluntarily, a provincial judge can authorize the seizure of the animal.
Typically, if an animal appears healthy after the quarantine period, it will be returned to its owner. However, if the animal has multiple attacks, harsher penalties may be enforced by the city.
Johnston emphasized that it is entirely the owner’s duty to ensure that their animals are kept in control at all times, as unpredictable situations can occur.
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“Many people are unaware that when walking a dog in the city, they must be on a leash that is no longer than six feet as stated in the bylaw. The use of extendable leashes also contributes to this issue,” explained Johnston.
According to the city, Animal Services could consider an animal to be in danger and its owner to be negligent if their dog has been captured running free or chasing after another person or animal more than two times.
This classification also applies to dog owners whose dogs have been involved in multiple attacks.
Owners of dogs are being reminded that they are accountable for what their pets do. The complete list of responsibilities for pet owners can be seen by looking at the city’s bylaws. This involves taking measures to stop dogs from wandering freely, according to city spokesperson Adam Campbell in an email.
Email address of tyler.searle at freepress.mb.ca
Tyler Searle is a journalist.
Tyler Searle works as a multimedia producer for the city desk at the Free Press. He started working at the paper in 2022 and has experienced adventures like driving through snowstorms, covering protests, and investigating potential news stories under bridges.
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