Calgary law enforcement officers have charged two dog owners in connection with the fatal dog attack that killed 86-year-old Betty Ann Williams in June.
According to a statement Wednesday morning, the dog owners were charged under the city’s responsible pet ownership bylaw.
Public peace officers also captured the three dogs involved in the attack. The city applied for the Dangerous Dogs Act to the Court of Queen’s Bench to have the three dogs involved humanely euthanized.
Read more: Calgary files for Dangerous Dogs Act after fatal dog attack
Williams died after being attacked by dogs in the Capitol Hill area of Calgary on June 5. Police said she is believed to have been gardening in a back alley when the dogs escaped from a neighboring property and attacked her.
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Neighbors tried to intervene in the attack, including the dogs’ owner, who was able to remove the animals from the scene before first responders arrived, police said.
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Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Plekaitis said the owners have refused numerous requests from the city to surrender the dogs, leading to enforcement of the Dangerous Dog Act.
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“We’ve been in regular communication with the dog owners’ attorneys and there’s been some level of cooperation,” said Ryan Plekaitis, the city’s chief code officer.
“Most of these issues will be resolved through the court system.”
“We believe that after considering the information gathered and the evidence before us, the charges are warranted.”
Read more: ‘I still have to have my aunt’: Family of fatal dog attack victim speaks out
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Denis Bagarich and Talyn Calkins were jointly charged with:
- Three offenses under section 22(9) of the Responsible Pet Ownership Regulations for attacking a person by an animal causing grievous hurt.
- Three offenses under section 22 (6) of the Responsible Pet Ownership Regulations for animal attack on a person.
- Three offenses under section 22(5) of the Responsible Pet Ownership Regulations for biting a person by an animal.
- Three offenses under section 11(1) of the Responsible Pet Ownership Regulations for an animal at large.
They are required to appear in Alberta provincial court and can face a maximum penalty of $10,000 for each offense if convicted. They can also face up to six months in prison.
A hearing on the bylaw charges is scheduled for Sept. 14.
Read more: EMS response to dog attack in Calgary to be reviewed by Alberta Health Care Quality Board
The city did not respond to questions about why details of the 911 call related to the incident were not released.
“We are working with the Alberta Health Care Quality Council to provide information that we hope will answer these questions,” Plekaitis said.
“It’s important that we let this process unfold and have a full comprehensive review and be in a better position to provide that information to the public.”
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– with files from Jill Croteau and Demi Knight of Global News
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