50-year-old Alberta woman killed by her own dog, toddler seriously injured

• SEE MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: Family mourns Alberta woman who died protecting granddaughter from pet dog

Police said a woman was killed by her own dog Saturday evening in Rocky View County, just east of Calgary.

RCMP said the boxer-pitbull cross initially attacked a toddler, leaving her with serious but not life-threatening injuries, before turning on the woman.

Police were not able to confirm the relationship between the woman and the toddler, and they have yet to release the woman's name.

The attack happened shortly after 6 p.m.

RCMP initially reported the woman's age as 49 and the toddler's age as three, but EMS later clarified the woman was 50 and the child two and a half.

Police said the deceased was the dog's owner, and the attack happened in her home near the hamlet of Langdon. 

A sign outside the gates of the home where a neighbour said the attack took place warned of guard dogs on duty.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the toddler was transported to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.

Dog will be quarantined, then likely put down

Investigators say the dog, along with one other in the residence, has been quarantined in Calgary and will be monitored.

"With any dog bite in Alberta if the dog isn't euthanized right away, typically the dog will be quarantined … and that's to monitor the dog for afflictions such as rabies," said Staff Sgt. John Spaans.

"In this case, just for the benefit of the surviving victim, it's best to be monitored to see if they had potentially been infected."

Spaans said after the monitoring period is over following a dog attack, it's either up to the dog's owner — in this case the victim's family — to have the dog euthanized, or police can apply through the court system to have the dog declared dangerous so it can then be put down.

But it's not automatically euthanized, even in a situation where the dog has killed someone.

"It's not a guarantee the courts will authorize the destruction," said Spaans.

"If family is able to show that safety measures have been put in place and no future attacks would happen, the person could still in theory keep the dog."

Witnesses reported to police that the dog had not shown previous signs of aggression and was otherwise well-behaved.

Police said investigators were no longer on scene at the home Sunday morning.

Langdon is about 36 kilometres east of Calgary.

• THE FIFTH ESTATE | ​Rebranding the pit bull: Family-friendly pet or danger to children?
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS | 'Enjoying the moment': Paralyzed Bronco player makes triumphant return to the ice
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Calgary woman on 'merry-go-round' trying to get mental health treatment
• Read more articles by CBC Calgary, like us on Facebook for updates and subscribe to our CBC Calgary newsletter for the day's news at a glance.

With files from Anis Heydari, The Canadian Press