3 Dogs Attacked A 9-Year-Old Girl In Manitoba & Left Her With 'Significant Injuries'
A 31-year-old man has been charged.
An RCMP vehicle.
Police in Manitoba have confirmed that a man has been charged following a dog attack that left a child with "significant injuries."
On February 1, 2023, local police received a report of large dogs chasing children around Baffin Crescent in Thompson, Manitoba.
Although no dogs were located when officers arrived at the scene, police say their investigation found that a 9-year-old female was hurt when three dogs jumped on her and attacked her.
According to the police report, the child was walking alone to her friend's house when three dogs "started jumping on her, knocking her to the ground."
The dogs began biting the nine-year-old, per the report, and ripping at her jacket.
Police say passers-by were able to drag the young girl away from the animals and get her to family, who took her to the hospital immediately.
The child suffered "significant injuries" from the attack and was transported to a Winnipeg hospital for surgery.
\u201c9yo girl attacked by 3 large dogs while walking to her friend\u2019s house in Thompson. She suffered significant injuries & was taken to hospital. Owner of dogs cooperated with police & dogs were seized. All 3 will be euthanized. #rcmpmb charged 31yo male owner w/ Criminal Negligence\u201d— RCMP Manitoba (@RCMP Manitoba) 1676388638
On Tuesday, February 14, Thompson RCMP confirmed that officers were able to find the dogs responsible for the attack, and local animal control departments were informed.
A 31-year-old male – who owned two of the dogs and was responsible for watching the third – has been charged with Criminal Negligence. He has also been banned from owning animals in Thompson in the future.
Police say the man, who was a neighbour of the victim, cooperated with the police investigation.
The city has determined that all three dogs will be euthanized. The police report notes that two of the dogs are Belgian Malinois, while the other is a German Shepherd.
There is a list of prohibited dog breeds in Winnipeg, which includes American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers.
Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds are not included on the banned breeds list.
It's the latest in a series of serious dog attacks in the province over the last decade.
In 2022, a 3-year-old was attacked by a boxer-mastiff mix while out trick-or-treating on Halloween.
In November 2021, a 7-year-old girl was hospitalized with severe injuries following a wild dog attack in Shamattawa First Nation.
Although fatal dog attacks are rare, in 2014, a 7-year-old girl was mauled to death by two Alaskan malamute dogs near Oakbank, Manitoba.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.