A 36-year-old Coquitlam man is facing bylaw charges after an apparent dog attack on Monday (Aug. 24) night.
In a Wednesday news release, Coquitlam RCMP said the man is facing charges after an alleged dog attack in the Burke Mountain area of Coquitlam.
Police were called to the area of Harper Road and Strawline Hill Street at about 8:30 p.m. Witnesses told Mounties that five off-leash dogs attacked a smaller dog, and their owner left the scene and did not give his name. Part of the incident was caught on video, leading police to the suspect.
The man was charged with five counts of having an animal at large under the Coquitlam Animal Care and Control Bylaw, totalling $750.
However, the family of the dog that was attacked is not happy with the results.
In a social media post, Rosa Piroti said her dog, Romeo, was attacked by the five off-leash dogs.
“All that [the man] has received is a small fine for having his dogs off leash,” Piroti wrote. “The only way we can get justice and safety for all the fur babies and children in lower mainland is to keep spreading the word & putting pressure on Coquitlam bylaw and animal control to take action.”
However, RCMP warned people not to jump to conclusions.
“We ask that people avoid posting controversial incidents to social media. These videos never tell the full story and they often lead to tension and anger in the community,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said. “We want to avoid premature conclusions or people acting out of emotion.”
A GoFundMe for Romeo, who had surgery to help repair his wounds, had raised more than $2,700 as of Wednesday at noon.
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