A Prince George provincial court judge who must decide the fate of two dogs heard accounts Tuesday from eight civilian witnesses showing a series of confrontations with people and attacks on other dogs.
The dogs' owner, Alyssa Dionne, is contesting three counts of her dogs being unlawfully at large under city animal control bylaws. Depending on the outcome, the dogs could be put down although judge Shannon Keyes could order lesser measures.
Testimony indicated the trouble began in August 2015 when Bailey, a grey pit bull, confronted a woman near Dionne's 1400-block Nation Crescent home in the Spruceland neighbourhood as she was walking to a bus stop.
She initially heard a "clicking sound" from behind and looked around to find the Bailey looking at her. Snapping and growling and with her hackles raised, the dog maneuvered around and refused to let her get by for two or three minutes.
It left only after seeing a man riding by on a bike and then went after him. The woman ran to the bus stop and called 911.
Judging by the size of her teets, it appeared the dog had just given birth, the court heard.
Formerly a "playful puppy," Bailey seemed "almost delirious."
In November 2015, the woman had a second encounter with the dog and once again it refused to let her by. Other than calling 911 immediately, she did not remember what happened next or how she got home.
Another witness told of a confrontation in October 2015. He and his son were walking along Nation Crescent when he turned around to find the dog with its tail between its legs and growling. He told it to scram and it left, but a month later they decided against going for a walk because the dog was outside.
In February 2016, a gray pit bull went through the gate and into the back yard of a nearby Nation Crescent home and attacked a Husky-German Shepherd cross that had been barking at it, according to another witness. The pit bull had hold of the back of the other dog's neck but the owner was able to pull it off by the collar and throw it over the fence.
Another witness who worked at an AimHi home in the area said he was standing at the end of a driveway in May 2016 when Dionne called the dog home.
As it ran by, it jumped at him and appeared ready to bite but he was able to push the dog out of the way.
Matters escalated in June 2016 when the two dogs were under the care of Dionne's cousin on Ness Avenue. A neighbour saw the two on the home's patio and leashed but barking aggressively.
Some time later, his wife heard loud barking and squealing and went outside to find one of the two had pinned their small spaniel on its back and chewing on its neck, apparently after shoving their way through two loose boards in the fence.
He was able to steer the dogs back through the opening and then blocked it off with a table.
As for their spaniel, it had suffered bites to its neck and upper chest that required $800 worth of work from a veterinarian to fix. Dionne has since paid them $250 towards the cost.
There was also fluid build up where the skin had been pulled from the chest that required them to apply compresses to its chest four to five times a day for about eight weeks. When the skin healed over the wounds a tube was later inserted to help drain the fluid.
In August 2016, a Liard Drive dog owner heard screaming from his two daughters who were out in the front yard with their small terrier. He saw two dogs "chewing on my dog" and jumped over the front railing to go after them.
However, they got away so he hopped into his truck and went after them as they ran home. He saw the two "blow through the gate like it was nothing" of Dionne's home and into the basement. He knocked on the front door, which was wide open, but while he could hear people talking no one answered.
His terrier also suffered injuries to her chest from which it is still suffering. Where she could previously hop into her truck, he now has to pick her up and carry her. He paid $120 in vet bills which was eventually reimbursed by Dionne.
The trial continues Thursday.
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