'Everybody's pretty scared right now': Pit bull seized after two fatal dog attacks in Bedford
A neighbourhood is on edge after a pair of dog attacks that killed two family pets in separate incidents in West Bedford, N.S., over the weekend.
Neighbours say the animals involved were pit bulls.
Halifax Regional Police confirmed the first incident happened around 1:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
"A dog had attacked another dog when it came into the back yard where it was nursing puppies. The dog died as a result of its injuries. HRM Animal Services were called and continued the investigation," HRP spokesperson Cst. John MacLeod told CTV News via email.
Police were called back the following day at 7:35 a.m.
"The same dog from the previous incident attacked another dog that was with its owner walking on the side walk. The dog died as a result of its injuries. The dog was taken into custody by HRM Animal Services and they have taken over the investigation." said MacLeod.
The second attack was captured on a doorbell camera in the area.
The unsettling video shows the owner, walking with the toy poodle named Sunny. They stop to converse with another neighbour, when out of the blue, a dog charges into picture and clamps down on Sunny, who died instantly.
"The dog was dead and the owner was just kind of holding him in his jacket, in his arms," one neighbour told CTV News.
Another heard the commotion and bolted outside, eventually coaxing the larger dog to follow him home, but he sensed no aggression from the animal.
"Not really," said the man.
"The dog honestly just seemed scared, and probably instinctually, he's in his primal thinking, right? An untrained dog is going to attack."
Neighbours identify the first dog who died as another small breed named Latte.
HRM provided very few details on the case.
"We can confirm that Animal Services has one dog in custody. Because this is an active investigation, we cannot provide any further details at time this time, or provide an interview," said HRM Public Affairs advisor Klara Needler, via email.
Neighbours, though, were talking Monday.
"It's pretty scary," said one woman.
"You know, this is a sweet, safe family street with lots of kids, lots of animals and everyone deserves to feel safe, but right now, you looked out yesterday, nobody's playing. Nobody's walking their dog. Everybody's pretty scared right now."
"It's always a lively street. It's very family friendly, kids always playing outside," said another.
"We all get along, and it just created an atmosphere of just uneasiness. A little bit of shock for a lot of people."
Neither of the families of deceased pets chose to speak with CTV News Monday, but one neighbour had talked to one of them.
"Their little boys are four and seven, and they went to bed last night without their dog, which is a family member. I have one of those and it's like my little boy. So, nobody deserves that, and it broke my heart for that family, as it did the other family," the woman said.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford, dies at 100
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.
Ontario doctors disciplined over Israel-Gaza protests
A number of doctors are facing scrutiny for publicizing their opinions on the Israel-Hamas war. Critics say expressing their political views could impact patient care, while others say that it is being used as an excuse for censorship.
Here is what Canada's drug shortage situation looks like right now
Compared to the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Canada experienced an uptick in prescription drug shortages in 2022 that Health Canada says has continued throughout 2023.
Annual Lego exhibit in Halifax inspires new generation of builders
Owen Grace has spent the last 20 years sharing his childhood hobby, Lego, through an exhibit he calls, 'Bricks by the Sea.'
'No concessions' St-Onge says in $100M a year news deal with Google
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform. This comes after Google had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
'We wish we could've reached that kid earlier,' says online educator about boy's suicide after apparent sextortion
The chat may seem innocuous at first. The victims, often young men or boys, start communicating with someone posing as a young girl, typically on the popular social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat. But with sextortion, which occurs when people are blackmailed for money or sexual favours, 'sextorters' convince them to share a sexual photo or video.
Live updates Hamas frees 10 Israeli women and children, 4 Thai nationals
Ten Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals held captive in Gaza were freed by Hamas, and Israel followed with the release of a group of Palestinian prisoners Thursday. It was the latest exchange of hostages for prisoners under a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza war. Two Russian-Israeli women were also freed by Hamas in a separate release.
Provinces are moving away from pap smears, but more infrastructure is needed
Some provinces are moving to HPV tests as the primary mode of cervical cancer screening, and others are close behind, an expert says.
opinion Don Martin: With Trudeau resignation fever rising, a Conservative nightmare appears
With speculation rising that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will follow his father's footsteps in the snow to a pre-election resignation, political columnist Don Martin focuses on one Liberal cabinet minister who's emerging as leadership material -- and who stands out as a fresh-faced contrast to the often 'angry and abrasive' leader of the Conservatives.