Dog attack leaves Alberta First Nation man in ICU, prompts call for dog-control plan

AnAlexis Nakota Sioux Nation man is recovering inintensive care after a brutal dog attackon his reserve.

Harley Potts, 35, is calling for better control over roaming dogsin his home community, about80 kilometres west of Edmonton.

Pottswas walking from his father's hometo his sister's house along a pavedroad on the morning ofApril 29 when he wasattacked by three dogs.

"I didn't see them until they bit me," PottstoldCBCNews while at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in EdmontonMonday.

"Theykept jumping at me, biting me," Pottssaid. "I tried to push them off and they keptcoming at me.

They tore at his left arm and right leg and left a puncture wound in his back along his spine, through which bacteria entered his body,causing a debilitating infection.

'He was in a lot of pain'

Tia Michel-Pottswas driving past just moments after Potts hadfought off the animals.

"He was in a lot of pain, you could tell," said Michel-Potts, Potts's cousin. "I was worried for him.

"He was shaking. You know when your body's so weak you shake? That's how he was, his arms, his hands."

While Potts was treated at thelocal hospital with bandages and antibiotics, his condition deteriorated over the next week.

"I was getting weaker and weaker. It started with my legs, then it went to my back, to my arms," he said. "I hit the ground face first. I couldn't feel nothing."

He has been a patient at the Royal Alexandra Hospital since May 7, his family said. He has required assistance to eat, drink and even breathe.

"I don't want that to happen to a little kid or any other person," he said.

No dog bylaws

Alexis NakotaSioux Nation Chief Tony Alexis said the maulingupset the community.

"It's an issue that's right in front of us and we all have to work together to make sure that we look after our members and the safety of our people," he said. "Clearly, work has to be done."

He said Alexis does not have dog bylaws in place, but has been learning more about them.

Since the attack, the band council has discussed better ways to manage the dog population and has beenworking on strategies with the Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Societyand the Alberta Spay and Neuter Task Force, Alexis said.

The agencies have been helping the band provide leashes and collars to dog owners and warnthem pets that threatenthe safety of the community will be removed, he said.

Owners must be accountable

AnjieRobinson, of GEARS, said dog owners must be held accountable.

"Dogs that attack in the city, they face consequences. Dogs that attack on the reserve should face consequences as well," she said.

"People who abuse their animals in the city face consequences. People who abuse their animals on the reserve should face consequences. Animal welfare should be across the board."

The Spay and Neuter Task Force has helped other First Nations withbylawsand licensing and registration programs.

• Rez Dogs: A central Alberta First Nation's effort to preserve and protect its free-roaming dog population

"There's some best practices already in place and we want to take full advantage of that," Alexis said. "We'd like to make sure there's parameters, boundaries and rules on who to look after them so people in the community can walk around and feel safe in our own nation.

"You can't just create one piece of law and then everything's going to go away," he said. "It's actually a long-term process."

'It needs to be everybody together'

Potts's family agree.

While the dogs that attacked Potts have been put down, the reserve still has a dog problem, they said.

Michel-Potts was bitten on the leg in 2016 while riding an ATVandher younger sister was attacked around the same time as Potts.

"It's not only the chief and council who need to do something," Michel-Potts said. "The community needs to step in as well. It can't just be one or the other. It needs to be everybody together."

roberta.bell@cbc.ca

@roberta__bell