Article content

A three-year-old girl was taken to hospital with serious injuries Friday night after she was bit by her family’s pet pit bull.

Police and paramedics responded to a home in the 100 block of Tararidge Close N.E. around 9:30 p.m.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Dog seized in Taradale after tot injured by dog bite Back to video

EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux said paramedics took a three-year-old girl to the children’s hospital with serious injuries to her head and face.

Insp. Kevin Leitch with Calgary Community Standards said the dog has been impounded and the city is starting its investigation.

“It was a family pet that was in the home that bit the child on the head,” Leitch said.

The girl was in surgery Saturday and bylaw officers have not yet spoken to her doctors to determine the full extent of her injuries.

“We’ve been in touch with the family members and we continue to talk with them,” he said.

“We’ve got to gather some more evidence before we make a decision as to where we’re going with the case.”

Leitch said the dog is a seven-year-old pit bull.

“Under the responsible pet ownership (bylaw), we hold the dog owner responsible, not the dog,” he noted. “And every dog with the right motivation, the right situation, every dog is capable of biting, and we’ve had bites from almost every single breed.”

He added with serious injuries involved, bylaw services will be contemplating charges.

Officers will also be conducting a thorough assessment of the dog as part of the investigation.