A man attacked by a pit bull-type dog in Les Cedres, is calling it one of the most traumatic events of his life.
Robert Cote was attacked by the dog Wednesday in the town west of Montreal after the pit bull attacked his own dog.
He said was eating dinner when he heard his daughter, who had gone for a walk with their family dog, screaming.
“I opened the door to check and it was my daughter and I right away noticed there was a fight with another dog,” he said.
Cote said he grabbed a piece of wood and tried to fend off his neighbour's pit bull-type dog.
It had latched onto his dog's neck, he said.
“I started banging on the dog’s head with a piece of wood,” recalled Cote, who managed to separate the dogs, but not without sustaining injuries – nasty gashes to his legs, feet, arms and hands.
“I have a puncture wound which is to the bone and they believe there's a hairline fracture,” he said. “There's definitely nerve damage, because I don't feel anything on the top of the finger anymore.”
His dog also suffered injuries.
The dog's owner said this wasn't a dog attack but rather two dogs fighting.
A bylaw was recently passed in Les Cedres prohibiting people from owning pit bull-type dogs. Those who already own one, though, are grandfathered in.
The town of Les Cedres said it has the authority to seize a dog that attacks another animal or human.
The municipality says when it comes to dangerous dogs, they will be evaluated by a veterinarian and then from there, recommendations will be made as to what should be done to the dog.
“We don't take any chances,” said Jimmy Poulin, director general of Les Cedres. Poulin confirmed that there will be an evaluation in this case.
The incident comes at a time when Quebec has held hearings into a proposed law that would ban certain dog breeds.
Cote believes breed-specific legislation isn't necessarily the answer.
“I do believe the owner is responsible for this,” he said.
