A Current River family is mourning the loss of a Yorkshire Terrier puppy they say was mauled to death by their next-door-neighbour’s dog.
According to Sylvain Bernard, on Thursday evening his elderly mother had leashed Roxy, a five-month old terrier, and the family’s 10-year-old bichon in their Hodder Avenue driveway. When the woman turned around to untangle one of the leashes the alleged attack occurred, Bernard said.
“She heard a squealing sound from the dog. When she turned around she saw the (neighbour’s) dog near the fence had gotten underneath and picked up the Yorkie with his jaws and was shaking it around like rag doll, practically,” Bernard said.
“The dog was pretty much dead at that point, it looked like. My mother didn’t know how to interact with the issue, and opened the door and yelled at my sister, who was in the house.”
The neighbour’s yard is ringed with a chain-link fence, and it appears they’ve attempted to stop their dog from getting under the fence with boards dug into the ground about six inches from the fence.
Bernard’s sister yelled at the neighbour’s dog, a wiry animal that appeared to have Husky-like traits when spotted Friday morning before its owner took it inside as media arrived.
“The dog let the body of the small dog fall to the ground. She picked it up and the dog from the neighbour’s proceeded to viciously circle her like it was prey. She had to yell to the neighbour to get rid of the dog.”
According to Bernard, who was not present at the time of the attack, the neighbour casually walked over, leashed her dog and took it away, telling Bernard’s mother to take the dog in, clean it up and it would be OK.
Bernard said his mother hasn’t received an apology, though the neighbours did call to ask about Roxy’s condition.
But as soon as Bernard, who had arrived in the meantime, mentioned legal action, the man hung up the phone and they haven’t had contact since.
“That was the termination of any contact from them.”
Dougall Media reporters did attempt to speak with the man on Friday, but he declined comment, suggesting his wife was on her way home and might make a statement later.
Police were called and showed up about 90 minutes after the alleged incident occurred. Police spokeswoman Julie Tilbury told Thunder Bay Television she’d look into the matter and respond.
City licensing and enforcement manager Ron Bourret said because police were involved he’d have to wait until a police report was filed to comment.
