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Bruce McConville says he is “very disappointed” after police told him they could not remove the dog
Publication date:
June 12, 2022 • 3 hours ago • 3 minutes reading • 5 comments Bruce McConville says he and another man were bitten by a pit bull on Saturday night during an adult dance at the Pauline-Charon Center in Vanier. Photo by Ashley Fraser / Postmedia
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Bruce McConville is sick and scratched “with a few extra holes in me, but otherwise I’m fine” after he was viciously attacked by a pit bull in front of the center of Vanier Sr. on Saturday night.
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McConville, 59, lives in the neighborhood and works at the Center Pauline-Charron, where he helped organize a dance party on Saturday night for seniors at the Francophone Chitalishte Center.
Another man, Robert Page, went outside at about 10:30 p.m., where he witnessed two people – apparently dog caregivers – out into the street in a heated verbal argument. The dog lives in a home on Sir Avenue, he said, just across from the elderly center.
“As Robert passed, the dog attacked him. He was unleashed and just lunged at him. He feared for his life and received some serious injuries from bites on both his wrists and legs, “McConville said Sunday afternoon. “This morning I watched him put on his stitches.”
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The man staggered back to the nursing home, stunned and bleeding, where McConville quickly bandaged his terrible wounds.
“It scared the adults a lot,” McConville said.
Police confirmed that they were called to Sir Avenue on Saturday night, but there was no information about the call on Sunday.
McConville said he assumed the dog was under control after police arrived, with three officers on the front porch.
A close-up shows the bite of Robert Page’s left arm, where you can see the outline of the dog’s teeth. Photo provided
He began escorting the adults to their cars, one by one, when the dog attacked again.
“One of the ladies was standing outside and suddenly I heard the dog barking and saw him jump over the railing of the property (Cyr Street). He jumped up and leaned over for the lady standing in front, just galloping straight toward her, “McConville said.
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“I picked him up, chased the dog, and managed to distract him — I kicked him well — and that drew the dog’s attention to me.”
The woman escaped safely back to the nursing home, but McConville said: “I was caught with the dog between me and the building.
“He threw himself a few times and I managed to kick him, but every time he passed him, he would take a little or bite me. Eventually, I crashed to the ground and rolled over – it was trying to grab its jaws in my throat – and that continued until the police intervened. “
McConville recalls seeing about five officers at the time, and one of them fired an electric shocker, “which seemed to have zero effect,” he said.
The dog just ran away into the house, he said.
The dog is known in the neighborhood as “very rude and scary,” McConville said. “But last night’s adventure was completely unexpected.
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“It was surreal when you were in a situation where you were fighting for your life.”
Paramedics arrived after the second attack and treated McConville at the scene. McConville had taken care of Paige inside the center after the first attack, after which he drove himself to Montfort Hospital.
McConville joined him after a quick ambulance ride, was admitted around midnight and spent the night in hospital before being sewn up and released on Sunday morning.
He is still in pain, but even more, he is disappointed with the lack of assurances he received from the authorities after the “terrible” incident.
“When the second attack happened and they brought the dog back to the house, I was told that the dog’s owner was not present at the property, was not available and the dog was unregistered,” McConville said. “I was told that the guardians had to carry out all kinds of orders.
“So, due to some bureaucratic protocols, they told me (the authorities) can’t remove the dog,” he said.
“This dog is allowed to walk freely and is quite vicious and frightening. So to hear that law enforcement is not able to ensure the safety of people by detaining this dog is very disappointing.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
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