A problem pit bull was released back into its owner's custody after she promised to take steps to keep the animal contained only to see the dog and its pup create more trouble in the following months, a trial at the Prince George courthouse heard Thursday.
City animal control officers had seized Bailey, a then six-year-old female in March 2016. A few days later, the dog was released back into owner Alyssa Dionne's care after she agreed to fix a latch on the gate and be the only one in charge of opening and closing it.
On a subsequent visit, it appeared some action had been taken.
"There was improvements to the latch and there was a sign on there for anybody passing through to make sure that latch was closed and at one point I gave it a good shake (and it appeared solid)," animal control officer Dave Derksen testified.
But it was not enough to solve the problem. Unknown to the officers, Dionne also owned a second dog, Baby Boy, one of Bailey's pups and over the next six months, the two were the source of five complaints of being on the loose and aggressive towards people and pets.
The series culminated in attacks on two smaller dogs that left them with serious injuries. A man's shirt had also been ripped and another man was aggressively jumped at while the two were together.
In August 2016, following an attack on a small terrier, animal control officers returned to Dionne's 1400 Nation Cres. home, seized both dogs and took them to the B.C. SPCA shelter where they have remained ever since.
Whether to put the dogs down or find alternate remedies will be one of the issues to be decided by Prince George provincial court judge Shannon Keyes.
A picture was painted of how they've behaved since they've been impounded. Animal control officers are the only ones allowed to walk allegedly dangerous dogs and they do so in an enclosed area using a metal pole with a leash on the end.
Officers said the two were initially wary but Bailey has warmed up and appears happy to see them. But she has been aggressive to SPCA staff, other dogs and to a person when she was taken to a veterinarian one time, the court was told.
Baby Boy, now weighing an estimate 100 pounds, is more aloof and has been uncooperative when he is supposed to go back into his kennel but has not shown signs of aggression. He was one of 13 pups born to Bailey and all the others are in other homes.
Testifying in her own defence, Dionne said she has made improvements to her yard since the dogs were seized, including getting rid of the gate altogether and replacing it with a fence, burying the bottom of a chain link fence into the ground to prevent them from digging out and installing screen doors to keep them from escaping when the front door is opened.
Officer had repeatedly noted the front door was ajar when they showed up at Dionne's home.
Dionne contended the dogs are "more destructive" when they're together and told the court she would be willing to give Bailey to an uncle.
In an exchange, Crown counsel Mitch Hogue confronted Dionne about the state of the fence when the dogs were in her care, suggesting it was not in as good a shape as she indicated. Dionne conceded it was in poor condition at one point, when work had to be done on the back deck.
With the help of a friend, Dionne has self-represented.
Dionne contended the dogs have never caused any trouble with anyone in the home. She plans to call witnesses to attest to the dogs' character when the trial continues at a later date.
