SUDBURY -- Next week, Greater Sudbury's hearing committee will deal with an appeal of a vicious dog order issued after a September incident that led to the death of a year-and-half old Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix.

On Sept. 28 around 6:30 p.m., the owner was walking two dogs on leashes – both Pomeranian/Chihuahuas, one 12 weeks old, and the second one that was attacked.

"While the complainant was walking their dogs, they noticed from roughly a football field away two unleashed, and without care and control of an owner, husky mix dogs … charging toward them," said the report headed to the committee Dec. 9.

The owner managed to pick up the younger dog before the bigger dogs confronted them. Then one of the huskies had the other dog locked in its mouth and began shaking it.

The owner came running from their nearby residence and helped free the smaller dog. The owner later explained the dog got loose when the owner was switching it from its outside leash to its walking leash.

Devastating injuries

The owner of the larger dogs drove the other owner to an after-hours vet for treatment, and later transferred $1,400 to help pay the vet bills.

The veterinarian uncovered several internal and external injuries, and exploratory surgery found the injuries were "devastating."

"Due to the poor prognosis, the complainant selected humane euthanasia," the report said.

The report provides a detailed account of the attack and its effect, including several explicit photos of the injuries the Pomeranian/Chihuahua sustained.

The city issued a vicious dog order Oct. 2 "as the attack occurred without provocation and the injuries sustained were severe which resulted in the death of the dog," the report said.

The order requires the dog owner to post a vicious dog warning sign at the entrance of their residence. The dog must be muzzled when it's outside, leashed with a strong collar and must wear both when on walks. And the person walking the dog must be strong enough to keep control of the dog.

Further, the owners of vicious dogs must have $1 million in insurance "for losses arising from injuries caused by the owner's dog and providing for the city to be notified in writing of any cancellation, termination or expiry of the insurance policy," the report said.

In the appeal of the order, the owner of the husky said there has never been an incident involving people or pets on their property.

Zero incidents

"We have deliveries upwards of five times a week," the appeal said. "During the five years we have lived at our address … there have been zero incidents."

There's no public access to the back of their property, and the dog is secured with a thick leash "double anchored in the ground and attached to a choke collar," the appeal said.

Adding a muzzle when the dog is already secured is "unnecessary," and in summer the muzzle would cause the dog to overheat "and endure unneeded suffering and stress, forcing us to keep (the dog) inside and significantly reducing her quality of life."

The owner concluded by saying all the steps and precautions will ensure a similar incident won't happen again and asks the committee to reverse the order.

The committee will review the appeal at its meeting beginning at 4 p.m. Dec. 9.