City of Kamloops investigating after seizure of dogs involved in Valleyview attack

Eric Dean was on his regular lunchtime jog along the South Thompson River over the noon hour on Sept. 2 when the dogs pounced on him. He told CFJC he suffered bites to both arms and one thigh, and ended up sore and in need of stitches.

“It’s concerning for public health and safety in this area,” Dean said of the incident. “I don’t know what the answer is, but social disorder has a lot of causal factors and it’s definitely concerning how things have changed. I grew up here and I don’t feel like it’s my home anymore.”

The dogs are being cared for by the city’s Community Services Division and Beatty said the city has 21 days from the date of attack to decide whether or not it will apply to the courts to have the animals put down.

“The decision is made through a two-part test,” Beatty said. “One, if it meets the definition of a dangerous dog as per the Community Charter and the second piece has to do with, does the potential of the release of these dogs pose an unacceptable risk to public safety? If that’s the case, that’s when the city will make a decision under a destruction application.”

The city may also choose to deem the dogs as aggressive animals through the existing Dog Responsibility Bylaw. It would require owners to follow strict rules and conditions like higher licensing fees, that the dog be leashed and muzzled while in public, and having them microchipped.

“Those assessments are being made currently,” Beatty said. “It’s unknown as to where we’ll go from here. We can’t provide comment on an active investigation but in normal circumstances, that’s the decision that has to be made.”

by Victor Kaisar

City of Kamloops investigating after seizure of dogs involved in Valleyview attack

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