Saskatoon man says three dogs ‘tried to kill his dog’ at off-leash dog park
When Barrett Ross walked into the off-leash Fred Mendel dog park last week, he didn’t expect what was going to happen to his 13-year-old terrier dog named Indy.
“These three dogs came over, and the minute they passed me I dropped the leash and turned around to go for Indy because they had a look,” he said.
Ross says the three dogs that looked like huskies attacked his dog. He says he grabbed one of the dogs and threw it on the ground while attempting to help Indy. During the altercation, his hand was bit by one of the dogs.
“He was on his back biting back and doing what he can to save his life from three dogs way bigger than him," Ross said.
Indy suffered a punctured bowel, lost a tooth and “his neck and stomach were ripped open in two spots.”
Ross alleges he called for the owner of the other dogs to help but he “seemed to be standing back and watching how it played out.”
“I was angry, I guess, that the owner seemed to be pretty either nonchalant or almost callous about the whole thing too, like it was inconveniencing him somehow,” he said.
Ross says he threatened to call the cops and the owner hurried to put leashes on his three dogs and left the park. Ross later posted on Facebook about the altercation,which led to over 1,000 shares. Through the over 300 comments, he was able to find the owner and get in touch.
CTV News reached out to the other dog owner who declined an interview. However, he says he offered to pay the vet bills but says Ross refused. He alleges he spoke with the vet who says it’s not true Indy will need up to five more appointments.
Ross says the other owner agreed to pay the initial bill but has since rescinded his offer. The owner has also hired a lawyer.
“Indy could still go septic and die. Like he might have to go to the dentist. I'm like, 'I'm not absolving you anything,'” Ross said.
Ross says he reported the dogs to animal control as he’s worried they might hurt other dogs and people.
“When you’re at a dog park you’re accountable for them and they’re kind of an extension of you. These three dogs tried to kill my dog and he didn’t really seem to care it seems, he seemed annoyed by it if anything.”
In an email to CTV News, the city says an investigation is currently underway by the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency to ensure all facts are documented and responsible parties are held accountable.
Off-leash dog parks designated for small dogs are currently proposed for CharlottePark and Hyde Park. The proposal is currently in the public engagement phase and will go to city council in June.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.