A mother from the Laurentians calls on dog owners to be vigilant after her five-year-old toddler was disfigured at the beginning of September by a Great Dane who had to be muzzled in the presence of children.
“If we had known he was an aggressive dog, we could have taken precautions with the children in the yard. It would have been to put on the muzzle, to tie it, ”laments Sara Boisclair.
On September 7, his son Madden was having fun at a friend’s house with other friends in Mont-Laurier when Piston, a Great Dane, approached him. It is also a breed known for its gentleness.
“They thought the dog was going to lick him, because he didn’t yelp, and finally he attacked him,” summarizes Ms. Boisclair.
One of the young people had to hit the beast with a broom to stop the attack. The adults on the scene then found the child with his face covered in blood with deep lacerations.
An ophthalmologist and a plastic surgeon worked for more than five hours in the operating room on the wounds of Madden, who nearly lost his eye.
“He has a tube in his eye that replaces the tear duct for tears,” says Sara Boisclair. He was very lucky, according to the doctors, that his eye was not affected more than that.
Recommendations
The mother of five children was also disturbed to learn that in the past year, a canine behavior worker had recommended that the dog be muzzled or isolated in the presence of children.
According to our information, the Great Dane, who was euthanized, showed aggression towards the children with whom he lived on several occasions.
Courtesy Sara Boislcair
Its owner, who refused to speak to the Journal, had consulted an expert after one of the young people was injured.
“Owners who have their dog evaluated and who have recommendations, it’s important that it be followed,” insists Sara Boisclair, who like Madden’s father, can count on a fundraising campaign to cover the expenses generated by the attack while he was away from work.
Denial
The majority of masters have difficulty recognizing that their animal has the potential for danger, says Sonia Bérubé, canine behavior worker.
Regardless of the mastiff’s general habits, you have to be on the lookout, she adds.
“A dog is a dog. It is an animal which has teeth, which has its qualities and its faults. You have to accept it as it is, and see it as it is,” puts Ms. Bérubé into perspective.