An adopted pit bull will be euthanized after it became violent at a family gathering on Vancouver Island, seriously injuring four people.
Kyla Johnson told CTV Vancouver Island the attack happened early Saturday morning as her father and her fiancé were playing a video game. Johnson and her aunt were also in the basement suite in Colwood, B.C.
She said Rex the pit bull had not attacked anybody in the six months since she adopted him as a rescue dog from the mainland, and showed no signs he was about to turn violent.
“We went to go play with him, and something in him just switched,” she said.
“He went after my dad. He jumped on top of my dad.”
Johnson said she jumped on top of Rex and tried to pull her father out from underneath. When that didn’t work, she tried grabbing the dog’s favourite treats and calling him.
“He wouldn’t stop. (My dad’s) screams – they were horrible,” she said through tears.
Rex eventually got off Johnson’s father of his own accord. Johnson said the dog then went after her. Her fiancé and aunt were also attacked before emergency crews arrived at the scene. Johnson said the concern quickly turned to what would happen to Rex.
“I jumped out the window and I flagged down the police and I was like ‘Please don’t shoot my dog; please don’t shoot my dog,’” she said.
“That was the only thing I was worried about.”
Animal control officers were able to subdue the 63-kilogram Rex while paramedics tended to the four people he had injured.
Rex was taken to an animal shelter. Don Brown, the chief bylaw officer for the Capital Regional District, said the dog “did calm down somewhat” once it was removed from the property.
However, the dog is scheduled to be euthanized on Tuesday. Animal Control officers are letting Johnson say goodbye to Rex.
“I’m going to just snuggle him,” she said. “And just let him know how much he’s loved, and I’m sorry.”
With reports from CTV Vancouver’s Angela Jung and CTV Vancouver Island
