Dog attack victim looking for answers: 'It's lucky we were there'

It's been an emotional five days for a Moncton woman who was attacked by a large dog in the downtown core late last week.

CTV News has agreed to hide her identity because she's often in the area and is scared it will happen again.

‘Gail’ was taking her small dog for a walk early Friday afternoon when a dog she estimates was at least 70 pounds lunged at them.

“This dog was so quick, it just appeared. I didn’t even have a moment to think about it all,” said Gail, visibly upset.

She immediately went to protect her pet, but was bitten and clawed several times.

Her finger was mangled and she's covered in bruises.

“I went to try and scoop up my little dog. He pulled me back down and I just tried to shield her and she just kept squealing,” she said, fighting tears.

Good Samaritans sitting across the street at the time rushed to their rescue.

Ernie Arsenault said he heard the dogs barking and saw the larger dog jump on top of her.

“It's lucky we were there. We pulled the dog off and stuff because I think he would have done a lot more damage. And the owner, he wasn't doing nothing,” said Arsenault.

Arsenault was asked if it was a frightening incident.

“Oh yes. Very much so,” said Arsenault.

Bylaw officers from the City of Moncton witnessed the attack.

Gail said she was told to call the RCMP, but when she did, police advised her to call the SPCA.

She doesn’t feel like the issue is being properly addressed.

“It’s super frustrating,” she said. “I feel unsafe.”

Chief Conrad Landry, Moncton’s fire chief and director of community safety, wouldn't comment directly on the woman’s case, but said animals can be seized if deemed too dangerous and owners can be fined.

“And ultimately what we don't want, but we could go to court and request the dog to be euthanized and it would be detained until that decision is made,” said Landry.

Landry said dogs aren't seized very often, but they do deal with a few attacks from time to time.

He said according to a city bylaw, dogs must be on a short, metre-long leash.

“It's the owner's responsibility to make sure their dogs are well-behaved and secured at all times,” said Landry.

Gail said the dog was unattended and attached to a back pack.

Moncton’s PAW, People for Animal Wellbeing, are investigating the case, but said they couldn't comment until after the city did.

However, PAW could not be reached late Tuesday afternoon.

The woman who was attacked said the incident has traumatized her and she’s having a hard time sleeping.

“The dog needs to be seized. Hopefully rehabilitated,” she said. “The dog is too angry. It's not in proper care. I know it's not the dog's fault, I know it's ownership, but some dogs are too far gone,” she said.

Her hope is the issue will be addressed so she can walk her dog and not fear for her safety.

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