An Oro-Medonte woman is pleading for action to be taken against an aggressive dog in her neighbourhood.
Ester Soto, 58, lives on Maplewood Parkway. In the summer of 2021, she and her husband were walking toward the lake when she claims they were attacked for the first time by their neighbour’s German shepherd.
“We had our husky with us, and we were going to introduce them, and the (German shepherd) became aggressive,” she said. “My husband interfered and he got bit on the foot.”
Soto says as good neighbours, they didn’t file any complaints and chalked it up to an accident. Then, in December 2021, the shepherd got loose again and attacked Soto’s dogs in her own backyard.
“We had to take our beagle to the vet. I took the neighbour the bill and he paid me,” she said. “We don’t want issues, so we left it at that.”
One month later, Soto, her husband and all three of their dogs went for a walk on the frozen lake, about 100 feet from the shore, when, she says, they were attacked again.
“All our dogs got bit. My husband got bit and required stitches,” she said. “We complained to the township and OPP, but nobody has done anything about it. We are the worst-off of the victims, but we have other neighbours that have complained.”
Soto says everybody is scared of the German shepherd, as are her dogs, which she claims have become aggressive because of the attacks.
“In February, all three dogs and myself were in the backyard, and our Italian mountain gog... attacked our husky and killed her,” she said. “We put Luna (the Italian mountain dog) down … This is all from the attacks.”
For the first time in her 11 years living on Maplewood Parkway, Soto says she feels it’s necessary to take a knife and pepper spray with her when she goes on walks.
“I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder right now and I’m starting therapy,” she said. “All I see is the dog coming toward me. I’m scared.”
Soto puts the blame on the owner for the German shepherd’s aggressive nature. She fears it will take a tragedy for action to be taken.
Orillia OPP Const. Brett Boniface says police have been engaged on this matter and a dog owner has been charged under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act.
“The charges are before the courts and we cannot comment further on this specific matter,” he said.
Boniface says there have been no other reported incidents of dog attacks in the Maplewood Parkway area.
Curtis Shelswell, manager of Oro-Medonte’s bylaw department, says the township is aware of the situation and has provided assistance following "an investigative process and canine control bylaw."
