Reported confrontation with dogs prompts several concerns

A resident who posted a video involving her daughter, their dog and a confrontation with other dogs in their neighbourhood has been online for about a week and discussion has included several concerns.

Nina Di Maria noted her 11-year-old daughter was walking their dog in their neighbourhood when she was confronted by two dogs. She said complete strangers helped to step in to try and protect her daughter and called 911 and she expressed her thanks to them.

Di Maria made a lengthy social media post and included a surveillance video of the matter, noting she was a street away and went back to try and protect her daughter and their dog. She said both her daughter and dog were bitten.

She voiced concern with the response she and her family received after 911 was called, stating  911 was called three times.

“No sirens. No urgency. No immediate response while my child was injured and in danger,” she posted.

Di Maria posted both she and her daughter were “completely traumatized and in shock” after the May 12 attack, and that she also suffered a severe asthma attack while trying to help her daughter.

“I am disgusted in how this was handled,” she said. “This is not acceptable. I pay over $9,863 in property taxes, and when my family needed emergency help the most, this is the response we received?”

The post added: “As a mother, there is no worse feeling than hearing your child screaming and not knowing if you are going to get there in time.”

Di Maria said she posted the over 400-word post because “parents deserve to know what is happening in our community. Children should not be afraid to walk down their own street. Families should not have to fight for protection after multiple emergency calls.”

CTV Windsor reported the neighbours who were alleged to be owners of the dogs now have a more secure fence. The Windsor Star reported they approached the home but owners didn’t want to comment.

Mayor Michael Prue said he has seen the event online and said there were a lot of comments made, but believed many came out from people simply being upset. According to Prue, police arrived in approximately 12 minutes.

“As soon as they looked at the situation, (police) called bylaw enforcement,” he said. “(The residents) called the police, as they should have.”

Within five minutes, Prue said bylaw officers were at the scene interviewing people involved. Within a couple of days, three bylaw summons and a muzzle order were issued to the owner of the two dogs that went up to the youth and her dog. The person has the option to appeal and a judge may quash, reduce the potential fines or impose the full charge, said Prue.

“As mayor, I am 100 per cent satisfied with the bylaw officers,” said Prue.

Prue added he is unsure where police were when they got the call, but said they could have been anywhere in the town, which he said is “one big town, by acreage.”

Reported confrontation with dogs prompts several concerns

By Ron Giofu