Fatal dog-on-dog attack leaves Edmonton owner shocked, saddened
When Carolee Penner moved to Edmonton this summer to be close to the Stollery Children's Hospital for her daughter's medical needs, her family brought along their dog, Lilly.
Last week, the nine-year-old Shih Tzu-Chihuahua cross was killed by another dog in front of the family's condo building in the Parkdale neighbourhood, north of downtown.
"I'm traumatized," Penner said Monday. "I can't stop hearing her screaming in my head and I can't stop seeing his mouth on her."
She owned Lilly for two years but had known the dog for much longer. The dog was "a piece of home" for the family, who left their farm near Barrhead, and several other dogs, when they had to move suddenly to Edmonton.
Animal care and control has confirmed it is investigating the attack.
Penner said she went outside around 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday to let Lilly to go to the bathroom.
She noticed a woman walking down the street with a toddler and a small dog. They were followed by a child of about eight or nine years old who was leading another dog, which appeared to be a Labrador-cross, by a leash.
Penner said she picked Lilly up into her arms. There was a bit of a commotion when the smaller dog ran toward Penner, and the other owner tried to grab the leashes for both her small dog and her large dog, Penner said.
"But at one point, the (big) dog got out of the collar because it was loose and he grabbed Lily out of my arms and crushed her essentially to death," she said.
Lilly didn't die right away. But a veterinarian later confirmed her lung had been punctured, and told Penner the dog wouldn't likely survive surgery.
"What if I had been a child with a small dog in my arms? What if it had been a child?" Penner asked. "That dog did not hesitate. He just leapt up and grabbed my little dog who wasn't doing anything, out of my arms, and killed her."
By the time an animal control officer arrived the next day, Penner was told the other dog had already been moved to the owner's home community in southern Alberta.
The investigating officer was not available on Monday for comment to confirm the whereabouts of the dog, but a city spokesperson said officers can still issue tickets or orders to owners, regardless of whether they, or their animals, reside in Edmonton.
'I'm so heartbroken that Lilly trusted me'
Penner said the attack has raised numerous concerns.
"I'm so heartbroken that Lilly trusted me and that I couldn't save her. I'm so angry and sad that it happened so fast that I couldn't stop it," she wrote in a Facebook post soon after the attack.
"Those are the irrational pieces — I feel like I should have been able to stop it and save her. All of my experience with rehab and aggressive dogs came to nothing in that moment."
But Penner also wonders about the system that regulates pets. She questioned who is tracking the dog.
Typically in fatal dog attacks, investigating officers can issue fines or tickets under Edmonton's animal licensing and control bylaw. The fine for a fatal dog attack ranges from $500 to $2,500 and restrictions could be put on the dog, including a mandatory muzzle when it is in public. Investigators may determine the dog should be euthanized.
Dogs might also be subject to a period of observation.
Penner said the owner offered to help pay for her veterinarian bills, and kept insisting "these dogs are safe."
"Those dogs could come back into the city someplace else ... who's in control of these dogs?"
