Dog owner faces charges after Mastiff attacks young girl

CALGARY- Charges are pending against the owner of a Mastiff after a 3-year-old girl was attacked in a yard in the southwest community of Bridlewood.

The girl was in the yard with a family friend’s dog when she was bitten on the face.

She was taken to hospital and treated for what Animal and Bylaw Services (ABS) describes as a serious bite.

The Mastiff has been seized while ABS continues to investigate.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure interactions between dogs and children are properly supervised. It only takes a second for something serious and irreversible to happen,” says Alvin Murray, an ABS manager.

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The bull terrier was turned over to ABS on Thursday and will undergo an assessment after a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

While charges haven’t been laid yet, a court appearance is mandatory in all dog attacks. The owner could face a fine of up to $10,000.

Meanwhile, the owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier involved in a fatal attack on a poodle  on Saturday now faces three charges, including having an unlicensed dog.

There have been six incidents in the city involving aggressive dogs over the past three weeks.