Editor, The News:
Re: Dog attacks paper carrier (The News, July 31).
Again, we have a vicious dog in a residence and some poor unsuspecting soul is attacked.
On the one year anniversary that our little Yorkshire terrier Tucker was attacked and shaken to death by a pit bull-cross rescue dog in Pitt Meadows, I am still shocked that citizens have to put up with the so-called pit bull in all its variances.
Pitt Meadows has got somewhat of a lid on the problem, changing the leash law last year to a fixed short variety leash, no more retractables for known vicious dogs, not just pit bulls, as well as muzzles, time limits for dog tie-ups.
I do not know how that is all going, but on most walks I still carry bear spray in case I am ever attacked.
The dog spray I used before had no effect on the attacker. I punched the attacker repeatedly, succeeding only in hurting my hand and still having pain to this point.
What a shame that I and others do not have unfettered movement in our community because someone wants a bully dog.
Give me a break.
After our dog was attacked, one of our neighbors even carried a mountain climber pick axe on her walks.
Someone should not have to do that.
And now we have one of our young people traumatized over an attack.
It will be years for her to recover emotionally.
At the age of 66, I am still traumatized over the July 30, 2014 attack of my dog.
I will not walk my own neighborhood after dark since there are still a few known bully dogs in our area.
When I made my submission to the Pitt Meadows council last September, I had an expert opinion attached from a well known Lower Mainland dog breeder. He told me that, in no uncertain terms, there is little anyone can do when a pit bull attacks.
Many of those attacks are unprovoked.
He further said it is a fallacy that it is the owner’s fault.
In most cases, it is the dog, since the breed is bred to kill and will snap to attack and release only when it is ready.
Far from the ‘it’s the owner’’ debate so common in the media, he said in his expert opinion that is a false notion.
There is enough evidence from hospital trauma wards to wake us up to the danger of some of these breeds, and others, too.
But in true Canadian fashion, we will continue to deal with outcomes rather than preventative measures.
Here we put people in danger.
Ontario banned the breed and it’s derivatives in 2005.
The dog that attacked our dog was put down the next day. The owners had another vicious dog that the property manager failed to address, but when the neighbors did, the couple moved away.
Very sad that should have happened, since it was the property manager’s negligence that enabled the attack.
They were a very nice couple, but in too deep to handle both of their dogs.
My heart goes out to Sarah Metzner.
Greg Wyatt
Pitt Meadows
