St. Catharines councillor stories a canine assault. Now animal advocates are up in arms over the destiny of ‘Rocky’

For a number of weeks after being attacked by a canine whereas campaigning on this yr’s municipal election, St. Catharines metropolis councillor Joe Kushner says he felt help and sympathy from members of the neighborhood.

Just lately, greater than two months after the incident, Kushner says he is obtained an onslaught of emails – and a few cellphone calls – accusing him of corruption and of making an attempt to have the canine put down.

“Till [recently], I used to be getting lots of people who had been involved with my welfare,” mentioned Kushner, who says he was bitten thrice after a big canine jumped on him whereas he was door-knocking in early October.

“Individuals had been coming as much as me on the road expressing sympathies, and likewise telling me about their experiences with canines biting them.”

All of a sudden, issues shifted.

Someday in late November he started receiving what would finish as much as be greater than 100 emails from folks upset that the canine, Rocky, was being held by the Lincoln County Humane Society (LCHS), after the canine was ordered to be faraway from the homeowners. A courtroom listening to was developing that would decide the canine’s destiny, and somebody related with the canine’s proprietor had created a Change.org petition that was gaining traction. 

The humane society says Rocky, who’s a large-size American Alsatian, has bitten a number of different folks prior to now and is an “aggressive” canine. These collaborating within the petition marketing campaign disagree.

“Right now I’ve had three phone calls: two had been obscene, one was by a girl at 1 o’clock within the morning,” Kushner instructed CBC Hamilton, at some point in late November. “They used very vulgar language, saying that I’m a fragile previous man, that sort of factor. [They said I am] a shame to being a metropolis councillor.”

‘My shoulder nonetheless provides me ache,’ says councillor

Kushner says he was canvassing on Strada Boulevard together with his two grownup daughters Oct. 2 when a big canine lunged at him and knocked him on his again. He says he tried to kick the canine away whereas the canine bit him within the ankle and thigh, and that the canine’s proprietor finally pulled the canine away. 

“I will need to have been in shock as a result of I handed him one in every of my election brochures,” Kushner instructed CBC Hamilton. 

He says he sustained three bites and a shoulder harm from the autumn. After in search of medical consideration, he says he obtained a tetanus shot and antibiotics.

“My leg has healed extraordinarily effectively however my shoulder nonetheless provides me ache,” he mentioned.

The canine’s homeowners, Mark and Alba Kotyk, declined to remark, directing CBC to talk with paralegal David Marynuik, who didn’t reply to CBC’s inquiries. 

Nonetheless, in emails between Mark and Diane Hines, the petition’s creator, Mark alleges Kushner has “omitted rather a lot, exaggerated rather a lot and downright lied about what occurred” in previous media stories.

Hines shared the emails with CBC.

In line with his account within the emails, Mark says Kushner fell on his again in entrance of his home that day, “effectively out of the attain of Rocky.” 

Kushner says he gave an announcement to the police after the assault. Whereas Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Const. Barry Ravenek would not establish folks concerned, he did verify to CBC Hamilton that officers had been referred to as to the world simply earlier than midday that day for an animal grievance. 

“The person sustained minor accidents,” mentioned Ravenek in an electronic mail. “The canine was decided to have been within the entrance yard on the time and was tethered and confined to the property. No arrests or expenses have been laid by the NRPS. The investigation has been turned over to the Lincoln County Humane Society.”

Canine’s previous victims embody 11-year-old lady, says humane society

Kevin Strooband, government director of the LCHS, says the company’s information present Rocky has bitten two different folks prior to now, and that the canine’s supporters reference a fourth assault he was beforehand unaware of within the on-line petition.

One of many victims LCHS has a document of was an 11-year-old lady from the neighbourhood, who was chased down by an off-leash Rocky in 2019, pushed down and bitten on the again of her leg, above the knee. The lady required stitches, based on the assertion her mom made to the humane society.

Strooband says because of this, the canine’s proprietor was convicted of permitting a canine to run at giant and charged a high-quality.

Native police say they turned over Kushner’s case to the LCHS, after he referred to as police to report the incident.

Strooband then ordered that Rocky be held by the humane society and the group launched authorized proceedings by the Canine Homeowners’ Legal responsibility Act in an effort to decide Rocky’s destiny. Prospects embody an order to euthanize the canine or his return with stipulations for the homeowners.

 He says a magistrate has ordered the group to carry the canine till additional directed by the courts. 

“The LCHS had no authority to launch the canine, till additional directed by a magistrate,” Strooband says, a truth the many individuals emailing the group asking it to set Rocky free seem unaware of, he added. “That is fully out of our palms.”

Animal welfare group says canine has mobility points

Hines’ on-line petition, titled “Please Assist Save Rocky’s Life!” has been signed greater than 16,000 occasions as of Thursday. Hines, who runs a hospice for previous and sick animals, shared emails with CBC that present Rocky’s homeowners got here to her for assist in getting phrase out in regards to the state of affairs.

A more moderen petition associated to the case, titled “Don’t enable Rocky to be killed – he is harmless” created by an Ontario group referred to as Reform Advocates for Animal Welfare has obtained greater than 7,000 signatures. It describes Rocky as “a candy, aged, 10-year-old canine who suffers from hypothyroidism and has mobility points.” That petition claims Rocky knocked the councillor down however did not harm him.

Hines says that whereas she wasn’t there and did not see what occurred, she feels sure that Kushner and Strooband are colluding to have the canine put down.

“That is an excessive abuse of energy,” she instructed CBC Hamilton, although she did not supply any proof of such abuse. 

Kushner says most of the feedback he has obtained by electronic mail allege he’s utilizing his council place to strain the courtroom in an effort to place the canine down.

He says he not been concerned with the case since submitting the police report. “I haven’t got that affect and I do not attempt to have that affect,” he mentioned.

Rocky’s case involves courtroom subsequent on Thursday. Strooband says a deal could possibly be made exterior of courtroom that would enable for the canine’s launch, or the courtroom might set a date for a listening to, which “can be virtually actually within the new yr.” 

He provides that regardless of the furor, he has no regrets about ordering the canine to be faraway from its homeowners.

“It is a hazard to the neighborhood,” he mentioned. “If it bit any person else, there can be 13,000 signatures calling for my head.”