‘I just screamed’: Pitbull attack in Saskatoon leaves dog dead, woman injured

Every time Susan O’Donnell closes her eyes, she said she remembers the pitbull attack in Saskatoon’s Haultain area which left her injured and her beloved dog dead.

Last Thursday evening, O’Donnell took Ryder, her Pomeranian, on a walk along a familiar route. She said she could never have imagined the terrifying experience that lay ahead as they crossed Sixth Street and Dufferin Avenue on their way home.

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“All of a sudden I could see three large pitbull dogs in full attack mode coming straight for us,” O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell said she tried to pick Ryder up but froze, and moments later she was knocked down as the much larger dogs mauled her pet.

“I just screamed. I just didn’t know what to do,” she said through tears.

“More and more people came around to help, (and) there was nothing I could do but just watch and see this traumatic attack.”

Susan O’Donnell described the attack and its aftermath as “the most traumatic thing I’ve been through in my life.” (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

Police and animal control were called to the scene, and Ryder was taken to the vet with critical injuries. Ultimately, O’Donnell said she had to make the decision to euthanize him.

“It was the most traumatic thing I’ve been through in my life,” O’Donnell said, adding that she is now seeking psychiatric help over the loss.

O’Donnell also went to the hospital for treatment of the dog bites on her hand and fingers, and said the attack also left her with bruised legs and a sore shoulder from the impact.

Susan O’Donnell went to the hospital for treatment of the dog bites on her hand and fingers after the attack, which also left her with bruised legs and a sore shoulder. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

She said the owner of the pitbulls relocated the dogs after the attack, before animal control could intervene. She said the current location of the dogs is unknown.

O’Donnell said she wants to see stricter laws around dangerous dogs to better protect the community, especially small children and small dogs.

“There’s no reason this kind of thing should have ever happened,” she said.

The community has rallied around O’Donnell, and set up a memorial with flowers for Ryder in the area where the attack happened.

A memorial for Ryder has been set up near where the attack happened. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

Another resident of the area, Carol Klapwijk, witnessed the attack after hearing the screams in front of her house.

“You could tell it was something horrible,” she said.

Klapwijk said many residents in the area had raised concerns about the pitbulls in the past, but animal control did little to address the issues.

“It would be really nice if we could get stricter laws to enable animal control to actually deal quickly with this,” Klapwijk said.

Both the City of Saskatoon and police confirmed the incident occurred last week, and noted that it is under investigation by the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency.

“We are unable to provide further details as the incident remains under investigation,” the City of Saskatoon said in a statement.