Attack leaves Vernon woman fearful of returning to dog park
VERNON – A Vernon woman will think twice before visiting a dog park after her four-pound Yorkshire terrier died after being attacked at the DND grounds last month.
Cassandra Malinosky took her five-year-old dog Jemma almost everywhere with her, including work, and always kept a watchful eye over her, particularly because she was so tiny. But her worst nightmare came true a few weeks ago when she took Jemma to the DND grounds.
“She was off smelling a tree, and I was watching her,” Malinosky says. “That’s when I heard someone screaming at their dog. When I looked over, a dog was running towards mine, and the (handler) was running across the field after it.”
Malinosky sprinted for Jemma, but the other dog, a husky she believes, was already upon her.
“It ran up, sniffed her, and then it just picked her up by her body and threw her in the air. (Jemma) landed on the ground and the other dog went to pick her up again,” Malinosky says of the May incident.
Jemma was yelping, and her stomach began swelling up almost instantly, Malinosky says, adding her tongue turned white. The handler grabbed the dog and apologized, saying it hadn’t done anything like this before. Malinosky scooped up her dog and rushed to the vet.
“I had my dog in my arms and I ran and jumped in my vehicle,” Malinosky says. “When I got inside (the vet’s) I was bawling my eyes out. I went in and said, ‘I need help.’”
The vet put a breathing mask on Jemma, but the internal injuries were too serious. She had to be put down.
Malinosky believes the attack could have been prevented if the other person had control of the pet. It's a situation Pat Ellis with K9 control hears of often, and she says people need to take more responsibility for their dogs.
“The (dog park) signs say your dog must be under your control at all times. If you can’t call that dog back, it’s not under your control,” Ellis says.
Even in off-leash dog parks, Ellis says you must be able to either grab your dog, or if they’re out of reach, have them respond on the spot to a command.
“People think these are great areas to take their dogs and turn them loose, “ Ellis says. “Even if your dog has never attacked before, it always should be under control.”
Owners can be fined as much as $500 for aggressive dogs, Ellis notes. From Jan.1 to May 31 dog control issued seven tickets for menacing dogs, six for dogs that bit or injured a person, 14 for dogs that bit or injured another animal, three for an unsecured, dangerous dog and one for a dangerous dog that wasn’t muzzled.
If dog control gets a complaint, they will investigate it with a good chance of issuing a ticket, but Ellis says many people still aren’t reporting aggressive dogs.
“If it’s not reported there’s nothing we can do,” Ellis says.
Malinosky hopes others learn from the incident, and keep more control over their animals while at dog parks.
“There’s responsibility with each animal you get, and you have to have respect for other people. This definitely wouldn’t have happened if they’d had the dog on a leash,” she says.
She plans to get another dog, a Yorkshire terrier like Jemma, but she won’t be racing back to dog parks in Vernon any time soon.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
— This story was edited at 7:55 a.m. June 17, 2015 to correct that it was a handler, not the owner, of the other dog that was at the park when the incident ocurred.
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16 responses
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I guess we gotta wait til that dog takes out someones small child….then the message will be clear in stead of all this “it just needs a hug” crap….!!!!
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I’m sooo sorry to hear about Jemma. I would find that women and sue her ass to the max.The law says if your dog attacks and kills another dog in a public place you can sue the dog owner up to $5000. I have 2 Chihuahua’s and we go to the dog park everyday, and I warn other dog owners when ever their big dog comes near my babies. If their dog even show’s any sign…. even a growl at my babies I tell the owner straight out….. If your dog touches me or my dogs…..I am going toto sue your ass to the max. How dare them bring a vicious dog in public. If you live in Vernon…everyone should watch out for this lady and her dog to help Casandra get justice. This is my personal property and I will defend it to the death. I will get everything I can out of you for my pain and suffering. This is a warning! here and at the dog park. Owners of big dogs…keep your dog away from small dogs…it only takes on bite to kill a small dog. And that’s what all owners say..” he has never done that before” And so….my dog is DEAD now! So now I’m watching out for this lady….and you better be watching out FOR ME! You cause me extreme pain your going to get it right Back!
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What was NOT reported in this article was that the owner of the dog that attacked was NOT with the dog at the time of attack. She had someone else looking after her dog and it was that person who lost control of the dog NOT the owner.This is probably why she only received a warning.Personally the person who lostcontrol of the dog should be held responsible as well as the owner.
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I have the most loving Goldens but they do not come back when I call them so they get to stay in our large yard with a 6 foot fence or go for a walk on a leash.Safer for everyone.Our dogs are our responsibility. So sad for everyone who has lost a dog to another dogs violence.
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So sad and it could have been prevented if both owners were within control of their pet If she had to sprint to her dog she also wasn’t in control of her dog either.
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I carry a glass bottle as a drink, if there is an attack you can defend your dog…I never want to hurt any dog but I will not, ever stand and watch my dog be ripped apart by another dog…with glass u can break it and us the glass to stop the other dog…tip…go for the throat….
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a large vicious dogs instinct is to attack a smaller or aged dog it is not the dogs fault…it is the owners fault…and trust me these people know this.that is why so many dogs are being attacked….SAD TRUTH…shame on our cities…for letting this to happen….
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these people have their dogs off leash on purpose , they are foe. r that exact purpose.the city turns the other way on the vicious dog…because they are trying to teach u a lesson…not to have your dog off leash or do not have your dog ay no dog parks HARSH BUT TRuE….if you are out with your dog wear a large coat that will cover you and your dog jump montop of your dog cover it and you with the coat until the owner calls off their dog….they usually will not attack you…they want your dog.
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I don’t go to dog parks for this very reason.So sorry to hear of your loss.How devastating for you.:'(
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How sad…. Sorry for this horrible incident, owner of the other dog should of had more than a warning… like perhaps<<<< putting there dog down. I have a 4 lb chi & I will never allow her to go free in any park... just not worth the risk.
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