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Red Deer woman bitten by dog hopes people vaccinate their pets

The woman was bitten Aug. 5
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Shaune Palidwar’s hand required five stitches after being bitten by a dog earlier this month in a Red Deer off-leash dog park. (Contributed photo)

A Red Deer woman bitten by a dog at the Oxbows Off Leash Dog Park earlier this month hopes her story inspires people to get their pets vaccinated.

Shaune Palidwar, who has lived in Red Deer for about a year, took her two dogs to the park Aug. 5, which is something she does at least twice a day.

As she was leaving, she passed by a man with three dogs – one of the man’s dogs, a yellow lab/retriever, lunged at one of Palidwar’s dogs.

While trying to separate the two animals, the yellow lab bit Palidwar’s hand.

“I was shocked and I believe the other owner was as well. I couldn’t believe it happened,” she said. “But at the same time I was happy my dogs were OK.”

Palidwar’s hand required five stitches – the wound suffered a minor infection – and she has lost feeling in her thumb since the incident.

“We’re hoping the feeling comes back in my thumb when everything heals up,” she said. “I’m in school to be a vet and I know (performing) surgery is something I’m going to be doing in my life and having no feeling in my thumb impacts that.”

Palidwar, who attends Red Deer College, said this incident is an opportunity to remind people to get their pets vaccinated.

“These situations do happen. They’re unexpected and when you’re in an off-leash area they can happen really fast.

“There are aggressive dogs you try to avoid, but sometimes dogs just don’t get along. If your dogs have their vaccinations, it’s just one less thing you have to worry about,” she said.

Palidwar said there was a lack of communication between her and the other dog owner after the bite. She never received his name, contact information or learned if his dogs were vaccinated.

“I don’t want to put all the blame on the owner for that lack of communication. I rushed out of there because I needed medical attention and I knew I needed to get my dogs away,” she said.

Since the incident, Palidwar and her dogs have returned to the park and have experienced no similar situations.

Red Deer RCMP say owners of dogs that bite other animals or people may be charged under a city bylaw to regulate and control dogs.

The city and RCMP encourage people to report aggressive dog behaviour to Alberta Animal Services at 403-347-2388 or 1-866-340-2388. You can also visit www.albertaanimalservices.ca or www.reddeer.ca.



sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com

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Contributed photo Shaune Palidwar’s hand required five stitches after being bitten by a dog earlier this month in a Red Deer off-leash dog park.


Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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