Maire in south-west France orders euthanasia of dog that attacked mother and daughter
The labrador crossbreed had escaped its owner before the attack
The dog that attacked a woman and her daughter was reported to be a labrador retriever mix (photo for illustration purposes only)
Olga Ilina/Shutterstock.
The mayor of a town near Toulouse has ordered the euthanasia of a Labrador crossbreed dog that bit a woman and her 10-year-old daughter.
The incident took place in Cugnaux, Haute-Garonne, on April 15, when the two were walking to school.
Despite being on a lead the dog escaped its owner who was unable to catch it.
Following the attack, the mother filed a complaint with the Cugnaux gendarmerie. A behavioural assessment was carried out on April 17 by a veterinary specialist, who classified the dog at the highest risk level (4/4).
This indicates a “major risk” and patterns of aggression reinforcing its dangerousness, according to information sent to The Connexion by the Cugnaux town hall.
Based on this assessment, the mayor of Cugnaux, Aurélien Andreu-Seigné, signed a municipal order on April 28 mandating the euthanasia of the animal.
The decision required the owner to carry out the procedure following the mandatory health monitoring period, after a third veterinary check scheduled for April 30, and to provide proof of euthanasia to local authorities.
Pending the procedure, the dog was required to be kept under strict control measures, including being muzzled and restrained during essential outings, and treated with fluoxetine.
The decision can only be taken by the municipality, “which was necessary in the interest of the safety of residents and the victims’ family,” La Dépêche reported the mayor as saying.
In France, decisions regarding animal euthanasia are subject to strict veterinary and legal frameworks, and may be taken on medical, regulatory, or public safety grounds, depending on the circumstances of each case.
