Carla Harris can’t hold back the tears when she thinks about her pet Diva.
The 10-year-old pug accompanied her everywhere and the two were never separated for long.
Diva was killed last week when two neighbouring dogs allegedly broke through the wooden fence in the Harris’ backyard on Cade Barr Street and attacked the little pug.
Diva was in the yard by herself, when Harris, who was in the living room upstairs, heard some barking. She asked her nine-year-old grandson to check on Diva.
“He came upstairs crying and said the big dogs got her,” recalled Harris, who quickly ran outside.
She started screaming as soon as she ran through the back door and grabbed her grandson’s little scooter when she saw one of the two boxers that were hovering over Diva come towards her.
Diva was lying in the middle of the yard and there was a hole in the fence that separated the two properties. Harris ran back in the house.
“I was hysterical, like a wild woman out there,” said Harris, who only came out again when police arrived at her door.
By the time police checked on the little dog, Diva was no longer breathing.
The two dogs were secured in their yard when police arrived, according to Mounties.
Boxer owner Anita Kelln said she has apologized to her neighbours numerous times and understands why they are upset. She has been keeping her dog inside her home since last week in consideration of her neighbours’ feelings.
“It was a horrible tragedy and I’m terribly sorry about what happened,” said Kelln, who believes her five-year-old pet, Leonard, was responsible for what happened to Diva. Kelln was also looking after her daughter’s boxer, which is Leonard’s mother, when the incident occurred. “We haven’t slept in days and we feel absolutely sick about it.”
Kelln described Leonard as a passive and gentle pet and said the attack is out of character for him.
“We’ve been dog owners for years and they have every reason to be upset … but it’s nothing we did out of negligence.”
Kelln noted the fence was already damaged before the boxers made their way to the neighbouring yard. She has already spoken to police and animal control and is prepared to accept any decision they make.