Achi news desk-
A woman was hospitalized after she was attacked by two large Cane Corso dogs in February at the same home where an 11-year-old boy was killed last week, the woman’s lawyer told Global News.
“In this incident, our client went to the same home in Edmonton and was visiting a friend and when she was in the yard of that home, she was attacked by two large Cane Corsos,” said lawyer Raj Bhogal.
“I can’t confirm if they were the same dogs. The details I can confirm are that it was the same address, and that they were in fact two large Cane Corsos. That matches the descriptions I’ve seen,” Bhogal said.
“He had very serious injuries. She has at least two broken ribs, a punctured lung, bite and scratch marks all over her body and between 15 and 20 stitches. She was in hospital as a result.”
On Monday, April 1, 11-year-old Kache Grist was killed in a dog attack in a home in south Edmonton, near 82nd Street and 11th Avenue Southwest, in the Summerside area.
The Edmonton Police Service is continuing its investigation. There are no charges set. In a news release on Thursday, police said an autopsy had been completed and the boy’s cause of death was confirmed to be a dog bite.
Bhogal said his client was disappointed to learn that a child had died.
“It definitely re-triggered some of her own trauma, which she’s still dealing with today,” she said. “But naturally, some thoughts that crossed her mind were: ‘Well, did I do everything within the circumstances?’ And I believe she did.”
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The woman reported the incident to the authorities and animal care and control, Bhogal said.
There had been a number of complaints about the dogs, including two reports of attacks this year.
“In 2024, animal control peace officers responded to two complaints of an attack inside the private residence alone. One complaint is still under investigation while the other has been closed without charges,” the city said on April 2.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the boy’s father Wesley Grist was asked about the previous complaints. He said there is a $150 fine for excessive barking.
Grist also said there was one complaint from a man who lived in the basement who was injured while playing with the dogs. Grist said the man needed a couple of stitches in his leg. He also said that the dogs had killed that man’s cat.
Grist said he did not know the details of the other ongoing complaint involving a woman and that he was “not there” when she was.
Bhogal said his firm Preszler Injury Lawyers is filing a claim for a dog bite incident in February 2024 for the woman, who Global News is not identifying for security reasons.
In civil matters, restitution is requested, he explained. In this case, the lawsuit will allege that this incident caused injuries that his client continues to suffer and affects her ability to enjoy her life.
These claims have not been proven or proven in court.
Bhogal said he and his client also hope this allegation could prompt the city to change how it handles animal complaints.
“When a serious attack occurs with one or two dogs or more, and the city is aware, now that this has become a pattern, I think more should be done.”
On Sunday, the boy’s father explained that Kache was staying with him in Edmonton for 12 days over spring break. Grist said his son had spent time with the dogs – which belong to his roommate – many times before without any problems.
“I have lived with these dogs for a long time and it has never been a problem like this. I would never put my son in a place where he was in danger. I love my son,” said Christ. “There was nothing that gave us any warnings that this was a problem.
“There was never a reason for me not to feel safe with them in the house,” she added. “They weren’t mean dogs.”
He said finding his son unresponsive at the house on Monday night was the hardest thing he had ever been through.
Grist said all the public finger-pointing and blame was “taxing” and “unfair” and made it impossible for him to properly grieve his son.
“People just need to stop and let’s put it to rest … let’s get better, let’s deal with this,” Grist said. “I know it’s not my fault, but I keep playing the things that are going on in my head … those are killing me.”
He said he doesn’t blame his roommate.
“She’s grieving too,” he said. “She’s also dealing with all this regret and all this guilt.
“If I can sit here and defend my roommate and forgive her – not even forgive her because I never blamed her in the first place – if I can be empathetic to her and not blame her, then she shouldn’t nobody else.”
Grist said his roommate signed the animals over to the city and they were being euthanized on Thursday.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
