‘I felt like I was going to be mauled to death’: Lethbridge woman injured in alleged dog attack

A Lethbridge woman, whose identity Global News has agreed to withhold, is recounting the moment when she says she was attacked by a dog.

“Having a 120-pound dog straddle you, I’m vulnerable, laying on the cement, I felt like I was going to be mauled to death.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Having a 120-pound dog straddle you, I'm vulnerable, laying on the cement, I felt like I was going to be mauled to death."

It happened in a south Lethbridge neighbourhood on Saturday, as the woman arrived at her parents home.

She says she stepped out of the car, looked across the lawn, and saw the Mastiff Bulldog cross.

“Running full force towards me, attack mode, jaws open, picking up speed, I had no time to react,” the woman said.

“I took a couple of steps to the right and the dog was on me.”

She said the dog bit down on her hand, resulting in stitches, a shoulder injury and potential nerve damage. She doesn’t remember how, but said she managed to wiggle her way out from beneath the dog.

“In that time, I managed to pull my hand out of his mouth and I thought he’d taken off my hand.”

This isn’t the first time this dog has attacked.

The City of Lethbridge has confirmed to Global News that officials deemed it an aggressive dog in June, after it attacked a child under the age of 16.

The city initially ordered the mastiff be euthanized, but the aggressive dog appeal committee gave the dog a reprieve — issuing a list of conditions for the owner to abide by to keep his pet.

Two of those conditions being the dog must wear a muzzle and be on a short leash in public.

“The owner has extra effort and has to be extra diligent in the fact that they need to keep the community safe,” said Dave Henley a senior bylaw officer.

“The bylaw is there in place to keep the community safe and a host of measures were taken in this instance to keep the public safe.”

Global News spoke with the dog’s owner on Monday. He wouldn’t appear on-camera, but said the dog is no longer in the city.

It’s owner also disputes the woman’s version of events. He said the women actually called out to the dog, but ran away as it approached her — and that’s when the alleged attack occurred.

The city says the owner is not cooperating with their investigation, faces a $400 fine, and legal options are being considered to locate the dog.