International student recovering from injuries after dog bite in northeast Calgary neighbourhood
For Priyanka Walhe it will take as much time to heal the emotional trauma as it will the physical injuries after the international student was visciously bitten by a hyper-aggressive dog in a city she just moved to six months ago.
“I cannot describe in words what kind of pain I go through and I’m going through the trauma right now," Walhe said, in an interview with CTV News. "Whenever I see a dog I start crying, whenever I talk about a dog I start crying.”
Around 10:30 p.m. on July 13, Walhe had just gotten off the bus after work and was walking home at Castleglen Road N.E. when she said she noticed a dog chasing a cat at a distance.
Moments later she said the dog attacked her. Walhe said the dog wouldn’t let go of her arm.
“I never seen any dog this aggressive," Walhe said. "He wasn’t ready to leave my hand. He was just chewing everything and dragging my hand - it's horrible.”
Walhe said she yelled for help and she says eventually someone from the dog owner's home did come out and grabbed the dog. She said it was another neighbour who helped her back to her own home and called 911.
“The worst thing," she said, "is no one came to see me from the dog owner's house which is horrible.”
Walhe suffered multiple large cuts to her arm exposing tissue, underwent surgery and has dozens of stitches.
Walhe said she has filed a report with the city and police.
An online fundraiser has been launched to support Walhe, who just moved to Calgary from India six months ago to go to school at SAIT.
The 27-year-old said this is a difficult experience for a newcomer to go through without family support and trying to navigate a new health care and police system.
“When something like this happens you think I guess you are better in your own country because you are surrounded with your family members and your own contacts, right?”
INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
The City of Calgary said an investigation is ongoing.
Brad Johnson, inspector with Calgary Community Standards Animal Services said officials have not been able to track down the dog or its owner yet.
Johnson said they are still collecting information related to the incident and are not able to confirm the breed of the animal.
Multiple charges in an incident like this are possible.
Johnson said dog bites are typically a one-time incident and there is likely no concern to the general public. Calgarians are urged to not approach a dog if it’s alone and contact 311.
Dog owners are being urged to be vigilant and keep their pets on a leash unless in a designated off-leash area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.