The City of Surrey says a bulldog may be euthanized after a boy and a woman were taken to hospital with minor injuries after being attacked by the animal.
Surrey RCMP responded to a reports of an attack at approximately 4:30 p.m. near King George Boulevard and 60th Avenue on Wednesday (May 29), confining the animal until bylaw officers arrived on scene.
Kim Marosevich, Surrey’s acting manager of public safety operations, said the dog is believed to have been “running loose” when the incident occurred.
As of early Thursday afternoon, bylaw officers had yet to connect with the two victims. It’s hoped that interview would help shed more light on what transpired, said Marosevich.
“At this point in time, we have the dog in our care,” she said, noting it’s being kept at Surrey Animal Resource Centre. “There’s no identification on the dog, and no known history with the city. We’re working on connecting the dog with an owner.”
Marosevich said the dog – an adult bulldog – will be held at the shelter for the “stray hold period” and “in all likelihood the dog will be euthanized,” as it would meet the city’s definition of a dangerous dog.
“That’s a likely outcome if we don’t connect with the owner,” she said.
If an owner is located, the city would then have a discussion with them about “their responsibility in the incident.”
Neither the City of Surrey nor the RCMP could confirm the ages of the two victims.
READ ALSO: City of Surrey adds more bite to dog bylaw but doesn’t ban breeds Feb. 7, 2017
Key objectives of the new bylaw were said to be to “better prevent dog bites, mitigate risks associated with aggressive dogs and promote responsible dog ownership” but did not go as far as banning any specific breeds.
The review was launched in June, 2016 after two dog attacks in 10 days. Then, at the end of 2016, a pair of pit bulls were euthanized after two separate attacks in the Tynehead area in about two months.
More to come.
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