NORTH BAY — An 80-year-old resident of Premier Road was bitten and had his hand broken defending his dog 'Mike' Thursday, after an attack at the Champlain Park off-leash dog park.
It happened Thursday (Oct. 24) at around 11 a.m.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, so we'll call him Mr. X, was walking his nine-year-old rescue dog at the dog park as part of their daily routine.
"Mike is laid back and has his own pace, and he and I know what it is."
Upon entering the dog park, a bullmastiff ran across the park toward the two...Mr. X had seen it previously a few days earlier and thought it just wanted to play. But instead, it growled aggressively and "tackled Mike and put him down."
Mr. X watched in horror, thinking "this is serious" and afraid Mike was going to be badly injured by a much bigger dog.
"He gets at Mike's neck so I put my arm around Mike and tried to pull him away. The owner was trying to pull his dog away by the collar but we weren't having any success separating them."
It was then the bullmastiff started biting, and the hand of Mr. X was broken.
Eventually, the dog let loose and Mike and Mr. X fell back into the dirt.
"Mike was bleeding. I was bleeding because I got a couple of bites to my hand."
The owners, described as a young couple with a baby, took the bullmastiff back to their car.
Mr. X showed his bleeding hand to the woman, who said it wasn't a dog bite. She told Mr. X she would know as she worked at a veterinary clinic in North Bay.
Then, the woman and her male companion got into an argument.
"He was concerned about their dog, telling the woman 'you shouldn't have anything to do with that dog. We're going to have to put that dog down.'"
Mr. X says another couple came into the park shortly thereafter.
"They saw I was covered in blood and made a call to the Humane Society."
Mr. X was too shaken up to get the names of the bullmastiff's owners, nor did he get the licence plate. He is colour blind, but does remember the car being a dark coloured SUV type.
"I was crying because Mike was seriously hurt."
Liam Cullin, executive director of the North Bay and District Humane Society, confirmed the attack to BayToday.
"Our staff responded to the call and visited the victim at their residence at 12:08 p.m. According to the victim, the bullmastiff approached his dog and was growling and aggressive," said Cullin.
"When the victim attempted to pull his dog away, the bullmastiff attacked. Both the dog and the victim were bitten in the ensuing incident. The owner of the bullmastiff left the dog park in a small to midsize 4-door SUV style vehicle that was darker in colour. He was described as a blonde-haired male, approximately late 20s to early 30s wearing a yellow reflective work jacket and was accompanied by a woman with brown hair and a child under two years old. The attacking dog was described as a bull mastiff, approximately 125 lbs and was black in colour with possibly some grey."
Mr. X was taken to the hospital and It was in emerge that Mr. X was told his hand was broken.
Mike went to the vet where he was sedated and stitched up to close his wounds. The bill came to $600.
Now Mr. X is scared that the dog could attack another dog, or worse a child, and would like to see some accountability. He's concerned about the couple's child. He's also traumatized by seeing his own beloved dog attacked so viciously.
The dog park Code of conduct states that dog handlers must have the dog(s) under verbal control and within sight at all times, but that doesn't happen says Mr. X. Owners chat, drink coffee and have a smoke while their dogs run.
"Fortunately, this is an uncommon incident and the Humane Society does not receive many calls about bites at the community dog park," said Cullin. "If anybody has any further information about this incident, they are encouraged to contact the North Bay and District Humane Society by calling 705-474-1251."
You can also call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Mr. X is hoping the fact the woman works for a veterinarian locally will be a clue in identifying the owners of the attacking bullmastiff.
"You don't just walk away," he said.
