'Living in fear': Glovertown man asks for pit bull ban after dog attack

A Glovertown man is asking for a town ban on pit bulls after his dog was mauled this past Friday by an unknown animal.

"It's hard. Tigger was a dog that was rescued from the SPCA in Gander," said David Saunders Jr., choking on tears.

"We've had him for eight  years … and, anyway, I don't think I'm going to get it out."

On Friday night the Saunders family let Tigger out on a tether to go to the washroom. They went to check on their dog when they didn't hear him bark to be let back in, but he wasn't there.

It looks like the dog had been ripped from his tether.- David Saunders Jr, Glovertown

At around the same time an RCMP patrol car stopped in front of their house and told them there was a dead dog alongside the road.

"There wasn't any life in him … but I looked at what had happened and it looks like the dog had been ripped from his tether," Saunders told the Central Morning Show.

"The rings on the collar that you usually clip your dog onto, they're pretty substantial. They were straightened right out completely."

Neighbour saw pit bull at scene

The Saunders family spoke with some neighbours the next day, and someone told them there was a pit bull seen directly across their house on Friday at 10:30 p.m.

"Not saying the pit bull itself is responsible for this or the owner itself, but the pit bull is a dog that's been bred to be a killer," said Saunders.

There are also about six pit bulls that live on that street, he said.

Police told the Saunders family it was unlikely charges would be laid on a dog owner unless they have positive confirmation of the specific dog that attacked.

Asking for ban on pit bulls

Saunders would like the town to consider a ban on pit bull breeds, similar to a controversial ban in Montreal.

Opponents of such bans argue "pit bull' is too general of a term because it's not a specific breed and only describes a set of physical characteristics. They also argue bans don't work to decrease animal attacks.

• Montreal SPCA to take legal action against new bylaw targeting pit bulls

• What Canadian cities have learned from pit bull bans

Still, Saunders said people in his community are afraid and something needs to be done.

Living in fear here in this particular community.-David Saunders Jr, Glovertown

"We're living in fear here in this particular community. We've lived on this street for 22 years and we're at the point now we're afraid to walk the streets, especially at night, if these dogs are out roaming."

The town of Glovertown will talk about the issue at a meeting Jan. 25.