Two American Staffordshire terriers have been ordered to be put down by a Calgary judge after they fatally mauled an elderly lady in 2022. One of the three dogs involved in the attack of Betty Ann Williams, Smoki, has already been euthanized by court order. After the deadly attack, which took place in the city’s northwest June 5, 2022, the City of Calgary animal control seized the three canines. Williams had suffered injuries on her whole body, particularily her head, jaw, neck and face.Justice Bruce Fraser ruled Thursday the two other dogs, Bossii and Cinnamon, need to be euthanized after they brought on what he called a "most horrible death" of the 86-year-old woman. "These dogs should not be returned to the community because they are a high risk and a danger to the public. The only option is to direct they be destroyed."Denis Bagaric, owner of the three dogs in question, attended the hearing and was visibly upset when the judge announced his ruling, CTV reported. Bagaric lamented the loss of Williams' life as well as his dogs in a post on Facebook. "So much death," he wrote."For 738 days and nights, the unspeakable suffering, and today, I lost my beloved babies. I am filled with regret and sorrow as I prepare to say my final goodbyes before they are humanely put to sleep. My thoughts are with Betty and her family through out everyday. I’m sorry I have failed you.""Punishment should have been for me not the dogs," he wrote in a second post..Bagaric is banned for 15 years from owning dogs since the fatal attack. The three Staffys, according to agreed upon “statement of facts” from the court, escaped his fenced-in backyard, found Williams gardening in a back alley, and mauled her to her death. Lawyer Rabie Ahmed argued there was no evidence the two remaining dogs attacked Williams, and therefore they should not be put down. Fraser did not buy that. "All three dogs were attacking Ms. Williams and participated in causing her horrific injuries," said the judge. "These dogs should not be returned to the community because they are a high risk and danger to the public.”.Williams was attacked in the back alley, where she was gardening. She suffered injuries to her entire body with the most serious injuries to her head, jaw, neck and face.Back in February, Bagaric pleaded guilty to two offences under City of Calgary bylaws and was fined $18,000 in addition to the ban on owning pets. The case was subjected to an independent review because it was learned it took a total of 30 minutes for emergency services to arrive on-scene. According to the Health Quality Council of Alberta, the lag in time was due to someone incorrectly coding the call as a non-life-threatening incident. As a result, the response time was twice as long as it would have been otherwise, per the CBC.
Two American Staffordshire terriers have been ordered to be put down by a Calgary judge after they fatally mauled an elderly lady in 2022. One of the three dogs involved in the attack of Betty Ann Williams, Smoki, has already been euthanized by court order. After the deadly attack, which took place in the city’s northwest June 5, 2022, the City of Calgary animal control seized the three canines. Williams had suffered injuries on her whole body, particularily her head, jaw, neck and face.Justice Bruce Fraser ruled Thursday the two other dogs, Bossii and Cinnamon, need to be euthanized after they brought on what he called a "most horrible death" of the 86-year-old woman. "These dogs should not be returned to the community because they are a high risk and a danger to the public. The only option is to direct they be destroyed."Denis Bagaric, owner of the three dogs in question, attended the hearing and was visibly upset when the judge announced his ruling, CTV reported. Bagaric lamented the loss of Williams' life as well as his dogs in a post on Facebook. "So much death," he wrote."For 738 days and nights, the unspeakable suffering, and today, I lost my beloved babies. I am filled with regret and sorrow as I prepare to say my final goodbyes before they are humanely put to sleep. My thoughts are with Betty and her family through out everyday. I’m sorry I have failed you.""Punishment should have been for me not the dogs," he wrote in a second post..Bagaric is banned for 15 years from owning dogs since the fatal attack. The three Staffys, according to agreed upon “statement of facts” from the court, escaped his fenced-in backyard, found Williams gardening in a back alley, and mauled her to her death. Lawyer Rabie Ahmed argued there was no evidence the two remaining dogs attacked Williams, and therefore they should not be put down. Fraser did not buy that. "All three dogs were attacking Ms. Williams and participated in causing her horrific injuries," said the judge. "These dogs should not be returned to the community because they are a high risk and danger to the public.”.Williams was attacked in the back alley, where she was gardening. She suffered injuries to her entire body with the most serious injuries to her head, jaw, neck and face.Back in February, Bagaric pleaded guilty to two offences under City of Calgary bylaws and was fined $18,000 in addition to the ban on owning pets. The case was subjected to an independent review because it was learned it took a total of 30 minutes for emergency services to arrive on-scene. According to the Health Quality Council of Alberta, the lag in time was due to someone incorrectly coding the call as a non-life-threatening incident. As a result, the response time was twice as long as it would have been otherwise, per the CBC.
