Hamilton woman calls for stricter rules for pet owners after off-leash attack in Gibson neighbourhood

A dog owner in central Hamilton is urging for stricter rules for pet owners — the woman is recovering from multiple injuries after she says she and her own dog were attacked by an off-leash canine in the Gibson neighbourhood last weekend.

Erin Nelson says that her young pooch Jalapeno does have a few minor injuries, but she suffered the brunt of the carnage.

She said she was hospitalized and walked away with stitches and nerve damage.

“I knew in that moment, ‘you weren’t going to take my dog and if you were going to do anything, you were going to take me’,” said Nelson.

Nelson says she went into ‘full protection mode’ and put her body on the line in order to shield Jalapeno from a sudden and relentless attack from another canine last weekend.

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“It was a nightmare — it was a bloodbath,” said Nelson. “In the scene, when I saw all the blood, I thought it was Jalapeno’s, and he was covered head-to-toe in blood. I hadn’t realized the extent of my injuries.”

In the Gibson area in Hamilton, Nelson discussed the extent of her severe injuries and showed her stitched up hand and wrist, as well as her heavily bruised leg with numerous bite marks.

She says during her hospital visit she was told she may have nerve damage also.

Jalapeno, who is a year and nine months old, suffered a few nicks to his ear, neck and hind legs.

Nelson says it was last Saturday at around 9 p.m. when she was walking her American-bully mix at the corner of Holton Avenue North and Wilson Street.

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She says she saw a young girl holding an unleashed, uncollared large dog, which prompted her to turn back and walk away with Jalapeno, but then was suddenly attacked.

“It was a very unfair fight — this dog was a very large breed, looked to be an American Bulldog-Pitbull mix, about 100 or 110 pounds give-or-take,” said Nelson. “He had rustled Jalapeno a few times, got him in the neck. He had him pinned down to the ground, and that is when I was able to middle-man myself between the other dog and Jalapeno and get him off finally.”

Hamilton Animal Services (HAS) at city hall confirmed the attack at Holton Avenue and Wilson Street last weekend, and launched an investigation.

In a statement to CHCH News, they said, “The dog subject to the Hamilton Animal Services (HAS) investigation was voluntarily surrendered to HAS on September 8. As this remains an active investigation, HAS cannot provide further comment at this time.”

While both Nelson and Jalapeno are slowly recovering, she says she’s also discouraged, arguing that some people in the area did not immediately help her, including the owner of the other dog involved.

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“When ongoers finally did come by and the surveying neighbours did hear my bloodcurdling screams, it did take an intervention of about half a dozen people, to physically barricade themselves between me and Jalapeno,” said Nelson. “I just feel like this whole situation was extremely negligent on so many people’s parts, but especially the owner at hand.”

Nelson believes more needs to be done to protect pets and people.

“I feel like everybody should very well be vigilant on their animals, and making sure that their animals are always leashed and appropriately collared at all times,” said Nelson.

Animal services add that their investigation is still active and there is no word yet on if the owner of the seized canine will be charged.

Nelson says she is consulting with a lawyer to explore legal action as well.

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