Over a month has passed since 62-year-old Airdronian Robert McKague suffered a concussion and lacerations to his face after a dog charged at him while he was on his e-bike in the Sandstone off-leash dog park, causing him to crash into a fence.
"[With the concussion] I had blurry vision and memory loss and I was undergoing physiotherapy, as well as going to the chiropractor, almost on a daily occurrence. I even went yesterday; so that's going to be a little bit of a struggle [the] physiotherapy, and trying to get my eye back on track."
Initially, after the attack, Airdrie RCMP took a statement from McKague and several days later he spoke to Airdrie's Municipal Enforcement. But now McKague feels disappointed that for nearly a month little progress has been made. According to him, the officer in charge of the case had been away and the case wasn't reassigned to another officer.
"Someone should have been assigned the case while the officer was on holiday. That would be my opinion, but he did contact me yesterday."
However, Maury Karch, the Coordinator at municipal enforcement said that cases aren't usually reassigned and that a process has to be followed, which can take time.
"I have to do it legally. I just can't go around accusing people. So, I'm very reluctant to say names because we don't know right now. The investigation is ongoing. We do have a possible dog of interest. But again, it's just of interest," Karch said.
He explained that if there was enough evidence in the case, he would consult his superior on the next steps.
"We would discuss it, and we would probably incorporate our lawyer that handles our animal complaints. I would provide the information that we have, we would discuss charges and even discuss, is there enough information to lay charges."
However, at this time Karch is not able to confirm whether there is or isn't enough evidence or information to proceed with charges as the investigation remains ongoing.
McKague told Discover Airdrie that on July 28, a peace officer did attend his residence and showed him a photo of the dog of interest in the case. He also expressed hope that the two men who found him unconscious or any other witnesses have approached municipal enforcement, but Karch said that to date no one has come forward.
"We haven't received anything. To the best of my knowledge, no one actually witnessed it. I believe they came along and helped the individual when he was laying on the sidewalk."
McKague said that there has been both a financial and psychological toll that he has suffered as a result of the attack. A week prior to the attack he had been recovering from hernia surgery.
"I was scheduled to go back to work on Monday and this happened on Sunday, so my sick days as a teacher had run out. I lost basically a week of pay; I lost the $3,000 e-bike. The physio and the chiropractor come out of my pocket. We're going to be needing a little bit of plastic surgery on the left eyebrow."
He also said that he revisited the area in which he was attacked and the owner of a local business approached him with her own concerns.
"The owner of the 'Little Tykes Family Day home/Daycare' said to me that she is scared to death to take out her little toddlers from the daycare out to the park because there's just no one patrolling or enforcing any of these bylaws that we have."
McKague alluded to another dog attack that happened over the past week in Airdrie, though Karch said that particular incident was a dog-on-dog attack.
"A dog got loose from its owner and bit another dog a couple of times," Karch explained.
According to the city's Animal Control Bylaw, "All Persons must be physically capable of having all Dogs in his/her custody in an Off-Leash Area Under Control." and, "The Owner of a Dog shall not allow such Dog to pass along or across a Pathway, unless such Dog remains Under the Control of the Owner at all times and does not interfere or obstruct any Pathway user."
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