LONG CREEK, P.E.I. – The P.E.I. Humane Society has confirmed that a dog will be euthanized after it attacked another family’s dog this week.
On Tuesday, Sept. 25, a seven-year-old female pit bull mixed breed broke free from its owner before attacking and killing a Manchester terrier that was walking with its family in Long Creek.
The pit bull, which was rescued from an out-of-province shelter and was new to its P.E.I. owner, was voluntarily forfeited to the humane society and underwent an assessment to determine its behaviour and risk to the community.
Humane society executive director Marla Somersall told The Guardian on Wednesday that an assessment determined the pit bull was a significant enough risk that it should be humanely euthanized.
Somersall said in making such a decision the society takes into account the severity of the attack, the dog’s history and how it behaves with other people and animals.
RCMP Sgt. Leanne Butler said Wednesday no charges or fines would result from the incident.
Butler said the investigation has been turned over to the P.E.I. Humane Society, which could investigate the shelter or breeder where the pit bull was purchased, should it see fit.
The RCMP and Humane Society remind all dog owners that regardless of the breed of dog, it is important to ensure that owners know their pets well, including how it reacts around other animals or people and ensure it is controlled for the safety of members of the public and other animals.
Somersall added that it’s not fair to any dog to make assumptions about its behaviour based on the breed and encourages people struggling with an animal to contact the Humane Society for advice.
