International student recovering from injuries after dog bite in northeast Calgary neighbourhood

Student traumatized by aggressive dog An international student is still shook up after being badly bitten by a hyper-aggressive dog. Ina Sidhu reports.

CALGARY — For Priyanka Walhe it will take as much time to heal the emotional trauma as it will the physical injuries after the international student was visciously bitten by a hyper-aggressive dog in a city she just moved to six months ago.

“I cannot describe in words what kind of pain I go through and I’m going through the trauma right now," Walhe said, in an interview with CTV News. "Whenever I see a dog I start crying, whenever I talk about a dog I start crying.”

Around 10:30 p.m. on July 13, Walhe had just gotten off the bus after work and was walking home at Castleglen Road N.E. when she said she noticed a dog chasing a cat at a distance.

Moments later she said the dog attacked her. Walhe said the dog wouldn’t let go of her arm.

“I never seen any dog this aggressive," Walhe said. "He wasn’t ready to leave my hand. He was just chewing everything and dragging my hand - it's horrible.”

Walhe said she yelled for help and she says eventually someone from the dog owner's home did come out and grabbed the dog. She said it was another neighbour who helped her back to her own home and called 911.

“The worst thing," she said, "is no one came to see me from the dog owner's house which is horrible.”

Walhe suffered multiple large cuts to her arm exposing tissue, underwent surgery and has dozens of stitches.

Walhe said she has filed a report with the city and police.

An online fundraiser has been launched to support Walhe, who just moved to Calgary from India six months ago to go to school at SAIT.

The 27-year-old said this is a difficult experience for a newcomer to go through without family support and trying to navigate a new health care and police system.

“When something like this happens you think I guess you are better in your own country because you are surrounded with your family members and your own contacts, right?”

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

The City of Calgary said an investigation is ongoing.

Brad Johnson, inspector with Calgary Community Standards Animal Services said officials have not been able to track down the dog or its owner yet.

Johnson said they are still collecting information related to the incident and are not able to confirm the breed of the animal.

Multiple charges in an incident like this are possible.

Johnson said dog bites are typically a one-time incident and there is likely no concern to the general public. Calgarians are urged to not approach a dog if it’s alone and contact 311.

Dog owners are being urged to be vigilant and keep their pets on a leash unless in a designated off-leash area.