Autopsy confirms B.C. boy died of dog bite, Edmonton police still investigating
An autopsy has confirmed an 11-year-old boy who was the victim of a fatal dog attack earlier this week died of a dog bite.
The boy, who has been identified by his grandmother as Kache, was a Grade 5 student from B.C.
He and his mother moved from Alberta to B.C. last year.
He was in Edmonton visiting his father for spring break when he was fatally attacked by two large dogs on Monday.
The dogs were seized by animal control and remain in custody.
Kache's grandmother told CTV News Edmonton her grandson's father rented a room in the house from the woman who owned the two dogs.
The Edmonton Police Service says the manner of death is pending further investigation.
Police are still investigating and there is no word on any charges.
The City of Edmonton confirmed on Tuesday there had been two previous attack complaints filed about the dogs in 2024.
One of the complaints is still under investigation, the other did not result in any charges.
Additionally, multiple barking complaints about the dogs were received in 2023.
The breed of the dogs has not officially been released, but Kache's grandmother says they are Cane Corsos.
The councillor that represents the ward where the attack happened says the city is in the process of updating the existing animal control licensing bylaw.
"I have received complaints of other quite serious, aggressive dog attacks in the past. Not fatalities like this incident, but certainly lots of just concern," Keren Tang told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.
"This is a bylaw that's more than 20 years old. It's time for a refresh."
Tang says the first phase of public engagement has just wrapped up, with thousands of people weighing in, adding a review and report on the bylaw will be presented to council early next year.
"There is still pretty extensive public engagement that needs to happen," she said.
"We have to think about what does respect responsible pet ownership look like? What does the research say about breed-specific regulations?"
A behavioural consultant who helps people understand their dogs says the breed of a dog is irrelevant, the dog's behaviour comes down to the signals they receive from their owners.
"Humans tend to give dogs poor information with the best intentions," Neal Espeseth told CTV News Edmonton.
"It's called anthropomorphism, and it's giving morality to a dog using human terms and definitions."
Espeseth says it's not fair to ask a dog to react like a human would in any given situation because their brains are wired differently.
"We have to give them specific information that they can actually understand. And if that information is confused or conflicted, then the dog may interpret that information as something else."
He encourages any dog owner who is struggling with behavioural issues to seek professional help.
Edmonton's mayor has also promised an investigation into how the city handled the previous attack complaints.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation is the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.