Mother of Alberta dog attack victims says judge rules bulldog to be put down

WARNING: The following article contains graphic photos and details that may be disturbing to some readers.

Six months after her twin daughters were seriously hurt in a horrific dog attack, an Alberta mother says a judge has ordered the dog involved to be destroyed.

“It was definitely a sense of relief that this dog was now deemed dangerous,” Holly Mears said Saturday when asked what her first reaction to the decision was.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was definitely a sense of relief that this dog was now deemed dangerous," Holly Mears said Saturday when asked what her first reaction to the decision was.

On May 5, Mears’ daughters, Kaylee and Jenna, were leaving a garage sale in Vegreville, Alta. with their grandmother when the dog allegedly ran from the yard into the garage and jumped on them from behind.

She said the dog attacked Jenna’s face and the girl’s grandmother had to fight the dog off. According to Mears, the dog then bit Kaylee on her lip and neck.

READ MORE: 4-year-old twins suffer serious facial wounds in Vegreville dog attack

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The girls were rushed to the Vegreville hospital, where Kaylee’s face was glued and stitched back together.

Jenna required more serious surgery and was transported to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton for treatment.

“They’re both doing very well,” Mears said of her daughters Saturday. “There’s some emotional problems yet and still some healing with the physical but all in all, kids are amazingly resilient and they’re doing tremendously well.”

A peace officer said the dog was captured by RCMP officers and put into quarantine before being returned to its owners in Edmonton.

On June 15, a judge ordered the dog to undergo a behavioural assessment by an independent dog handler.

The owners of the dog, Terry and Pattie Kisilevich, were charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

READ MORE: Dog given back to Edmonton owner after biting twin girls

Mears said at a hearing that took place on Tuesday, a judge ruled the dog – named Jake – was dangerous and was to be put down within seven days.

According to Mears, the dog’s owners’ lawyer said the couple planned to appeal the decision but it wasn’t clear whether an appeal was even possible.

The Kisilevichs chose not to comment on the decision.

-with files from Sarah Kraus.