A pair of pit bulls that were running out of control on town streets last week were thwarted in an attempted attack on a Mountie when the police officer blasted the dogs with pepper spray.
The RCMP officer's defence against the raging pits followed the dogs' frantic chase of one man up a fence, along with a frenzied effort to go after another man who managed to block the creatures' frenzied overtures by locking himself in his car.
Neither the police officer nor the two citizens were injured in the incident. The dogs, described as male and female boxer pit bull crosses, recovered from the pepper spray blast and were returned to their owner. Charges have not yet been laid into the incident and the RCMP's investigation continues.
“He (the Mountie) chose to use his pepper spray in a manner to stop an attack,” said Olds RCMP Cpl. Jay Peden. “In the end it is to protect ourselves and the public from injury.
“The tools we utilize for defensive purposes, and depending on the risk, are sanctioned to use on an authorized level,” he added. “We are authorized to use a level of force which would stop or limit the risk of injury.”
The incident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27. RCMP received a complaint that two aggressive dogs were running at large in the area of 47 Avenue.
Peden said when RCMP arrived at the scene one man had taken refuge by climbing a fence while another locked himself up in his vehicle as a means to protect himself from the out-of-control pits.
Meanwhile, the attempted pit bull attacks were just one of three aggressive dog incidents in and around town over a period of nine days.
At about 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 19, RCMP received a complaint of a dog bite incident near a house on 50 Street.
Peden said a woman in her 50s was walking down the street when a dog made an unprovoked attack. The dog, whose breed and size is unknown, bit the woman.
Peden said the owner of the dog managed to control the animal. The woman was taken to Olds Hospital and Care Centre and was treated and released.
The dog owner was charged under the local dog-biting bylaw and was issued a ticket. He can either pay the $300 fine immediately or challenge it in provincial court, said Peden.
At about 8 p.m. on Aug. 27 at a location along Rge. Rd. 12 outside town, RCMP responded to a complaint that a mixed breed dog had attacked a child.
Peden said a 10-year-old boy was bitten on the ear by a neighbour's dog. The boy was taken to Olds Hospital and Care Centre for treatment of his injured ear.
The incident is still under investigation by Mountain View County patrol officers.
“This is three incidents in a week and a half,” said Peden. “You usually don't get that many but dog bites are obviously on the increase for us.
“If we go under the provincial Dangerous Dog Act they can be put down, not to mention the civil liability,” he added. “We are urging Olds and area residents to make sure dogs are under control and to utilize leashes to prevent unprovoked attacks.”
