The Quebec Association of Dog Attack Victims (AQVAC), formed in 2019, first called for a tightening of Bill 128. It advocated zero tolerance to avoid any risk of a recurrence of a dog attacking a human, as well as the creation of a provincial attack registry.
AQVAC founding members Dominique Alain and Geneviève Piacentini, who were violently attacked by mastiffs in Potton and Saint-Césaire in 2019, and Lise Vadnais, whose sister Christiane was killed by a dog three years earlier, believed at the time that the law gave precedence Rights of dog owners over the safety of citizens.
Today, these victims believe the law is still falling short of its goal of providing better public safety from potentially dangerous dogs. They particularly question the way dogs are judged.
Many communities have delegated the evaluation of dogs to humanist societies, notes Anne Castaigne, daughter of Mrs. Piacentini. It seems to go against their mission. Above all, we would have liked to have been more precise about what the behavioral assessment consists of. Discussions have been held with the Association of Veterinarians but they do not appear to have the necessary animal behavior training. There is work to be done.
“All it does is put the burden of a very sensible decision in the hands of local authorities, where we often all know each other, including the owner of the dangerous dog. Additionally, it can be costly for a municipality to defend its decision, made to ensure the protection of a citizen, if the dog’s guardian decides to go to court to challenge it. »
— A quote from Dominique Alain, founder of the Quebec Association of Dog Attack Victims (AQVAC)
hold owners accountable
AQVAC continues to advocate for increased civil liability for owners of aggressive dogs, particularly so that they compensate their victims.
We have long called for owners of dangerous dogs to be required to take out liability insurance to cover the risks, says Ms Alain, who along with her spouse are seeking $675,000 in damages from those they are responsible for. their misfortune resulting from the attack.
“It’s like coming back from war and being attacked alive by dogs,” says Dominique Alain. She and Leo Joy, her husband, regret the overly lenient penalties imposed on owners whose animal has attacked a person. (file photo)
Photo: Radio Canada
The founders of the association also want better recognition of the criminal liability of dog owners and thus a harder sentence.
Sentences too mild
In January, Mario Fortier, whose two loose dogs violently attacked Ms Piacentini, was sentenced to 90 days of house arrest, to be served over the weekend, after a guilty plea. A sentence that comes with a year of probation and a hundred hours of community service, a sentence that Lise Vadnais describes as somewhat scandalous.
It’s really minimal. He found a way to get away with it, she laments. The owner of the dog, who killed his sister more than six years ago, had no charges at the time.
We victims will live with trauma for the rest of our lives. It’s terrible. It’s like coming back from war and being attacked alive by dogs. Add to that the physical consequences we have to live with, all because of a careless owner. And will he spend 30 days in house arrest? adds Dominique Alain.
In his case, his attackers’ guardian received a six-month prison sentence, 240 hours of community service, and a lifetime dog ban.
Victims of attacks liken a dangerous dog to a loaded gun, and you never know when someone will pull the trigger. However, the verdicts are far from being equally harsh, Ms Castaigne explains.