Canada

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Family dog kills newborn boy

Alberta parents ran dogsledding business

By: Bill Graveland

Posted: 02/17/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

JEFF MCINTOSH / THE CANADIAN PRESS RCMP officer Tony Hamori said husky had no history of aggression before turning on its owners� child.

AIRDRIE, Alta. -- Police say a newborn baby boy died after a family dog with no previous history of attacks turned on the child inside the family's home.

RCMP said the infant was attacked Wednesday morning at the house in Airdrie, a bedroom community just north of Calgary, and died that night in hospital.

Insp. Tony Hamori called the attack an "unimaginable event." He said the family also has a two-and-a-half-year-old son and has never had any problems with the husky.

"There is no history whatsoever of any issues with this particular dog," Hamori said at a news conference Thursday. "It's just a very tragic accident."

Hamori wouldn't release any details of the attack out of concern for the family. He did say one of the parents was at home with the child at the time.

"We do not feel there's anything criminal in nature. No charges are being considered at this point in time," he said. "I'd like to express my deepest condolences to the family for the loss of their child."

Neighbours identified the two-storey grey house where the attack happened. It sits on a quiet street, with a park a few doors down. Someone inside the home angrily turned away media.

Erica Wollen, down the street, has two sons of her own. She said the attack made her think about the danger her kids might have been in playing at the park. A lot of people in the neighbourhood leave their dogs off-leash, she said.

"I can't even imagine the devastation and for it to be their own animal," Wollen said. "It would be just devastating because I am sure they trusted their own dog."

Neighbours said the family ran a dog-mushing business. The business website says the company sells dog-sledding supplies. The website said the family had adopted four huskies. Police said there was only one dog in the home at the time.

Wollen said the family would sometimes hook dogsleds up in front of their house and it was really fun for people in the neighbourhood.

The dog that attacked is being quarantined until the family and bylaw officers decide whether it should be destroyed.

Counselling was being offered to the RCMP officers who attended the scene.

Barbara Walmer is an animal behaviour expert with the Calgary Humane Society. She says the humane society, along with the Calgary Health region, offers a course for parents with a new baby and a dog.

"It's about being able to train and set the animals up for success prior to the baby coming home and then managing the situation when the baby comes home," she said Thursday.

"One of the big things is supervision -- always supervise. If you're not supervising or the baby is napping, close the door, use a video camera or video cam to be able monitor the baby instead of allowing the animal to have access to the child when no one is there."

She says there isn't much research into this type of attack because it is so rare, but says it could be a predatory or an arousal/excitement situation. Walmer says in her 10 years in her position, this is the first time she's been aware of such an attack.

Her advice is never to leave a baby or young child alone with a dog.

"You just don't want to leave it to chance that the dog basically doesn't have the person to be able to help make behaviour decisions."

In 2010, a husky killed a three-week-old baby girl as she sat strapped in her car seat on the floor of a home in Quebec.

Her 17-year-old mother was allegedly outside having a cigarette when the dog attacked. She was charged with manslaughter but has yet to go to trial.

Jaimie Rosteski owns a dog-sitting business in Airdrie and was walking an animal in the neighbourhood where the attack happened. She has a two-year-old son, Noah, and a husky-cross at home.

She said any dog can become jealous of newborns.

"Any dog can be aggressive," she said. "I hate breed profiling. We have about 600-plus clients and the only dog that I've ever had a problem with is a Chihuahua.

"Sometimes things happen. A dog is essentially a wild animal at heart and you just never know."

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 17, 2012 A16

(You must be logged in to post your reaction)

Your reaction?

More Canada

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.