An Okanagan woman says her small dog was allegedly attacked last week, and she’s hoping that someone has dashcam evidence of the incident.
Melanie Michaels of Kelowna says she was walking her leashed nine-year-old dog along KLO Road on the morning of Jan. 29, when one of three off-leash poodles attacked Spike’s head.
According to Michaels, she quickly freed Spike, who, after several vet visits, has a broken jaw and had a broken molar extracted.
“I saw a man with three poodles whom I have seen there many times before,” Michaels gold Global News of the incident beside Okanagan College.
“He was exercising three standard poodles, two of them very black and one of them greyish black. And I’ve had them charge me before.”
Michaels said in those prior charges, the poodles didn’t attack before she “scattered them,” with the owner apologizing afterward.
On Jan. 29, Michaels said one dog charged Spike, which she intercepted and waved away. A second did the same, with the same result occurring.
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“I did not see the third dog. I lost sight of it,” said Michaels. “So I turned my back thinking it was OK for us to continue walking.
Michaels said she has no idea how she freed Spike, other than guessing she kicked him free.
“It happened so fast,” said Michaels, “and then that dog dropped Spike and off he ran.”
She added that she began shrieking at the owner, who allegedly did not come to see how Spike was faring.
From there, Michaels says the man gathered his dogs in his truck, then left, choosing to drive away via the college’s back parking lot instead of using the main entrance.
Michaels says she contacted Okanagan College, seeking video evidence, and dog control about the incident. She said the college did not have any video footage.
However, she noted the man later left a white envelope at the college for her. The envelope contained an unsigned and handwritten note and $200 in cash.
Michaels says her vet bills are near $2,000, and that more x-rays and sedation will be needed.
“My hope is that somebody on that morning commute saw this,” said Michaels, “and has something to offer.”
Global News has called dog control for more information about off-leash dogs in the city.
For more about rules concerning dogs in the Central Okanagan, including fines and licencing, click here.
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