A Calgary court has ordered the destruction of a second pitbull dog that was involved in the vicious attack on a Sundre woman this past summer.
The court also ruled that its two owners never be allowed to ever own or possess another dog again within the geographical boundaries of Sundre.
“This part of the case is closed now. It is a little bit of a relief. It is quite stressful as nobody wants to put a dog down,” said Dean Pickering, chief administrative officer for the Town of Sundre. “The town did not want Mr. Zergiotis and Ms. Phillip to ever again have a dog within the town limits.”
The town's application to have the pitbull, whose name was Sunny, destroyed was heard in Calgary on Oct. 4 before Court of Queen's Justice Barbara L. Veldhuis.
According to the Town of Sundre, the court had “no difficulty” with the application and agreed that Chris Zergiotis, who co-owned the dog with his common-law wife Rita Phillip, did not provide compelling evidence to prove the canine should not be deemed vicious.
Veldhuis also agreed the pitbull should not be delivered into the custody of another individual for kenneling even if it was outside the Town of Sundre's geographical limits.
The judge granted a permanent injunction prohibiting both Zergiotis and Phillip from ever owning or possessing a dog again in Sundre.
The pitbull was brought to a Sundre veterinarian by a town peace officer on Oct. 9 and put down.
Pickering said while this matter has been resolved there are many more issues in the case that still have to be dealt with, including the criminal case against Philip, and provincial charges that arose from the incident.
“There will probably be a civil suit as well with witnesses called. This case is not going away for a while,” said Pickering.
Phillip is in custody facing two charges of aggravated assault and could not be reached for comment. Zergiotis, who was not charged in connection to the attack, has left the town and no one is living in the home the couple once occupied at Sundre Mobile Estates Park, said Pickering.
The pitbull attack on 26-year-old Deanna Wolfe occurred at the park on Aug. 19. Wolfe and her boyfriend were staying with Phillip and Zergiotis.
Police said at the time of the attack the victim was attacked by two male pit bulls owned by the accused. The victim suffered head, facial and arm injuries. STARS air ambulance flew Wolfe to Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. Her situation last month was described as serious. She is still recovering from her wounds.
One of the pit bulls, named Cody, was shot and killed by an RCMP officer at the scene.
Phillip has been in custody since being arrested at a Calgary casino several days after the attack.
Each of the charges Phillip is facing carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
