A family at 108 Mile Ranch is mourning the loss of their dog after they say it was attacked by two roaming canines mid-afternoon on Feb. 25.
Jaimee Peters says she heard the commotion near the patio where their large family dog stays when he is outside.
When she ran outside she was horrified to see two dogs attacking her rottweiler-lab cross, which was desperately trying to escape their grip into the house, she adds.
Peters explains an attempt of chasing them off with a broom did not work, but hollering seemed to cause one of the animals to break away while the other one continued to bite her dog.
She did not recognize the dogs, but says she thinks they were possibly pitbulls – one a brownish colour and the other a greyish-black.
Peters says after a passer-by came to her assistance, both of the strange dogs left and she called her husband to take their pet to a veterinarian who was unable to save it and so it was euthanized.
Now, Peters is concerned for her three-year-old child and other children in the neighbourhood, including students at Mile 108 Elementary School, which is just two lots over from her home.
The passer-by had called the RCMP and was reportedly told officers were unable to attend due to some more urgent calls, she explains.
SPCA animal control officer Carla Edge says that's when she was asked by police to investigate, and attended the home to gather evidence and speak with Peters.
Edge arrived when the dog was at the veterinarian's office, but notes there was "a lot of blood in the yard."
"This is a very sad case, I really feel for the owners on this one."
Edge says the problem is a lack of bylaws in many rural areas prohibiting pets from roaming free – particularly with dogs, which "tend to form aggressive packs."
"The only thing that is in place is the Community Charter, and that's what the RCMP have to use. That's our biggest problem throughout the Cariboo region – many communities do not have bylaws to deal with dog situations."
Dog owners need to take responsibility in knowing at all times where their pets are and what they might be doing, she explains.
Without having witnessed the incident or seeing the other dogs, Edge says she can't confirm if the Peters' dog retaliated or not, but it "certainly got the brunt of it" in regard to injuries.
"I don't look at it negligently. If [the Peters] had their dog loose or other dogs were out running around; it is sadly part of us living out here."
Edge notes she is a special provincial constable for cruelty investigations, and was only assisting police in this case.
"We don't deal with dangerous dogs ... they all go through the RCMP."
100 Mile House RCMP Const. Jason Flett says there is "little police action that can be taken" at this time, since the identity of the dogs and their owner(s) has not yet been determined.
Anyone who sees roaming dogs fitting this description is asked to call 100 Mile House RCMP at 250-395-2456.