Golden retriever, owner recovering after pit bull attack

Dog, owner recovering after pit bull attack A dog and its owner are recovering after a pitbull attack in Coquitlam Sunday night.

A dog and its owner are recovering after a vicious encounter with a pit bull in Coquitlam.

Ten-year-old golden retriever Lilly and dog owner Nicole were out for a walk Sunday when the pit bull attacked them just metres from their condo complex.

Nicole, who asked to be referred to by her first name only, told CTV News she stopped to chat with a neighbour when the pit bull darted towards her.

Neighbours say even though it was on a leash, the pit bull’s owner couldn’t control it.

“I heard this woman... running, I saw her go and she is screaming a dog’s name,” said Marlene Stewart, who lives in the building and witnessed the incident.

“The next thing I know, the cops are here, [the pit bull owner is] sitting out there and she's crying because she thinks her dog is going to be taken away from her.”

According to the condo strata, the pit bull’s owner never got approval to have a dog in her condo. Not only that, but neighbours tell us they have also had frightening run-ins with the dog.

“It’s not a good dog, it’s a dangerous dog,” said neighbour Ralph Shorter.

“We were in the elevator, and when the door opened the pit bull was there and he lunged at [my dog] Yoda,” said another resident of the building.

As for Lilly the golden retriever, her vet bill is at $2,500 and rising – and owner Nicole, who sustained cuts to her hands and arms, says she feels lucky to be alive.

The City is currently investigating to see what should happen with the pit bull. Meanwhile, neighbours and their condo’s strata say they will take legal action to have the dog removed.

“There are little children running out there and other little animals,” said Stewart. “Most of the people in here have little tiny dogs."

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Jonathan Glasgow