Nova Scotia child attacked by three dogs has died, school officials say

HALIFAX — A child who was attacked by three large dogs on Saturday in Nova Scotia has died, according to local school and municipal officials.

The Tri-County Regional Centre for Education says the loss of the Grade 8 student will be felt widely and that supports are in place at Shelburne Regional High School and neighbouring schools in the province’s southwest. Those supports include services from psychologists and counsellors.

“We will continue to monitor and respond to the needs of our communities as we navigate this profound loss together,” the centre’s executive director, Jared Purdy, said in a statement Tuesday.

Penny Smith, warden of the Municipality of the District of Shelburne, confirmed that the child was 13 years old. In a statement, Smith said the community is heartbroken and that the municipality would not make any further statements out of respect for the RCMP’s investigation.

“We ask residents to keep the boy’s family, friends, and classmates in their hearts and thoughts,” Smith said.

RCMP said on Monday that three “large-breed” dogs had attacked a youth on Upper Sandy Cove Road in the community of Welshtown in southwest Nova Scotia as the youth rode past on a bicycle. The child was flown to Halifax with life-threatening injuries, and the dogs were euthanized.

The RCMP on Tuesday wouldn’t release any additional details about the case. They said the investigation is ongoing and that no charges have been laid.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2026.