Dog attack latest of several over recent months in north-central Edmonton

A man living with a disability is worried his service dog may have to retire early after the pair was attacked by two loose dogs.

A disabled man is worried his service dog will have to retire early after the pair was attacked by two dogs in north-central Edmonton earlier this week.

Martin Mojzisik had taken a taxi from his home in Mayerthorpe to the Edmonton neighbourhood of Prince Charles on Tuesday afternoon for a medical appointment.

There, he and Coco, his service dog, were attacked by two other dogs running loose. The attack was recorded by a doorbell camera.

“It happened so fast,” Mojzisik told CTV News Edmonton on Friday. “At first, it was just the one dog, and then while I was fending that one off, another one came and started attacking Coco on the front of her face.”

He credits the cab driver for intervening in the chaos.

Coco has some minor bite wounds, but the worst of the damage for both dog and owner is emotional.

“They may not certify her again,” an emotional Mojzisik said. “She may become reactionary and not suitable for service dog work …

“I close my eyes and all I see are those dogs attacking her … She’s my beloved friend.”

Mojzisik said he’ll keep Coco even if she can’t be re-certified. A new service dog would require years of training and tens of thousands of dollars.

Nearby residents say there have been several dog attacks in the area in recent months, including Erin Anderson, who told CTV News Edmonton she’s spoken with city bylaw officers who told her they’ve talked to the dogs’ owners and issued tickets.

“You just feel like you keep reporting and keep reporting and there’s nothing that they can do but ticket,” said Anderson, who works as a veterinary technician, adding that the bylaw officers she’s been talking to about the incidents have been supportive and helpful. “How many incidents does it take for them to be able to do more than just ticket?”

In a statement to CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday, Kevin Tomalty, the city’s acting deputy chief of animal care and park rangers, said the city received reports of dog-related incidents in Prince Charles and nearby Inglewood, including complaints from Jan. 27 to Feb. 10 involving the same two dogs, resulting in six tickets totalling $1,400. He said officers did eight proactive patrols in the area last week and are conducting an ongoing investigation into the dogs.