MONTREAL NORTH – When a Montreal-area woman was found dead after police believe she was attacked by a pit bull-type dog, another victim, Donna Codner, said it brought up difficult memories.
In May of 2015, she was attacked in her Montreal kitchen by her family dog, Rocky.
Now, she’s calling for the city to regulate what she calls “dangerous dogs.”
READ MORE: Pit bull attack reignites debate on banning specific dog breeds
She said she had screamed after seeing a mouse before her dog lunged at her.
“I actually thought I was dying,” Codner told Global News at her home Thursday.
“He missed the main artery in my leg by a quarter of an inch.”
The former dog lover ended up in hospital for a month.
READ MORE: Police investigate whether Montreal-area woman was mauled to death by dog
She couldn’t work for most of the year and said she still can’t handle being near any kind of dog.
Codner said she thinks it is time for the City of Montreal to regulate so-called “dangerous dogs,” like pit bull-types.
READ MORE: Châteauguay residents move to overturn bylaw that bans certain dog breeds
Yet, her son, Taylor Soares, said he thinks a ban is just discrimination against what he calls misunderstood breeds.
“My mother’s life comes first, but I don’t agree with a ban,” Soares said Thursday.
“If anything, there should be more information about the breed and they should probably force owners to train the dogs. Rocky wasn’t fully trained, and if he was, that might have prevented what happened.”
The family had owned the mixed-breed dog for five years.
They knew he had been abused as a puppy but had worked hard to develop trust with the much-loved family pet.
READ MORE: Toronto’s pit bulls are almost gone. So why are there more dog bites than ever?
“I don’t know why he didn’t stop when he heard my voice,” Codner said.
“Dogs are supposed to know their owner’s voice, that’s what hurts me.”
One thing both mother and son agree on is that it is time for the City of Montreal to come up with a solution.