The aim of this gathering, entitled “Let Us March on Santos,” is to put pressure on Charlemagne's city to save a dog from an impending fate.
Santos, a dog of the Husky breed, bit a 5-year-old child in the face in Charlemagne in the summer of 2022. It was then taken away from its owner, Claudia Mateluna. The court ruled that Santos should be euthanized because he was dangerous. But Ms. Mateluna is still fighting to save him.
“As we see with Charlemagne, the dangerous dog law is very broad and local authorities can interpret it as they wish. […] “The city could have simply required him to wear a muzzle, but the city chose to remove him and lock him up in a shelter for 19 months in terrible conditions,” complained Quebec actress Patricia Tulasne during the demonstration.
Meanwhile, Santos' owner still does not know where he is being held and has not had a chance to see him for several weeks. She complained that the city was preventing her from spending her last moments with him.
“I’m not allowed to see him. I have no idea where he is currently being held. […] Charlemagne urges me and threatens to have him executed soon. I fear for my violated rights, despite my ability to appeal,” said Ms. Mateluna.
On February 23, the Quebec Court of Appeal rejected Ms. Mateluna's appeal regarding the sentence to euthanize her dog Santos after an accident.
“The court never wanted to hear our version or take note of the dog expert’s assessment,” Ms. Mateluna said. “I am completely devastated by this decision. She’s too strict.”
The demonstrators, like Santos' owners, are particularly demanding the annulment of this conviction, which they describe as “unjust”, and the unprecedented return of the dog to his family.
“If we have to euthanize all biting dogs, there will be no dogs left in Quebec. […] We demand that Santos be returned to his owner and that his decision to euthanize him, even under certain conditions, be reversed […] because he is not an aggressive dog and does not deserve to be killed,” Ms. Tulasne added during Saturday’s meeting.
A second demonstration is planned for February 25 from 12 p.m. at Champ-de-Mars Park in Montreal.