All In The Family: Maine Mother & Son Charged in Massive Drug Bust

Woman Hospitalized After Attack By 2 Dogs At Same Edmonton Home Where Boy Died: Lawyer

UPDATE: On April 15, 2024, the City of Edmonton provided an update on the fatal attack. It said that prior to the deadly incident on April 1, "the city had no lawful basis to remove the dogs from the home." The city added that "all prior complaints about the dogs involved in this incident were investigated thoroughly and appropriate action was taken in accordance with the applicable legislation." The city also said a review found that its staff "acted appropriately in accordance with our standard practices and in compliance with the relevant legal constraints given the nature of past complaints and reports."

A woman was hospitalized after being attacked in February by two large Cane Corso dogs at the same home where an 11-year-old boy was killed last week, the woman's lawyer told Global News.

"In this incident, our client attended the same home in Edmonton and was visiting a friend and when she was in the yard of that home, she was attacked by two large Cane Corsos," lawyer Raj Bhogal said.

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"I'm not able to confirm whether they were the same dogs. The details I can confirm is that it was the same address, and they were in fact two large Cane Corsos. That fits the descriptions I've seen," Bhogal said.

"She sustained very serious injuries. She has at least two fractured ribs, a punctured lung, bite and scratch marks around her entire body and between 15 to 20 stitches. She was hospitalized as a result."

On Monday, April 1, 11-year-old Kache Grist was killed in a dog attack at a home in south Edmonton, near 82nd Street and 11th Avenue Southwest, in the Summerside area.

The Edmonton Police Service is continuing its investigation. No charges have been laid. In a news release Thursday, police said an autopsy had been completed and the cause of the boy's death was confirmed to be a dog bite.

2:0511-year-old boy dies at south Edmonton home where other dog attacks recently occurred

Bhogal said his client was devastated to hear a child had died.

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"It definitely re-triggered some of her own trauma, which she's still dealing with today," he said. "But naturally, some thoughts that crossed her mind was: 'Well, did I do everything that I could in the circumstances?' And I believe that she did."

The woman reported the incident to the authorities and animal care and control, Bhogal said.

There had been multiple complaints about the dogs, including two reports of attacks this year.

"In 2024, animal control peace officers responded to two attack complaints isolated to inside the private residence. One complaint is still under investigation while the other was concluded without charges," the city said on April 2.

When speaking to reporters on Sunday, the boy's father Wesley Grist was asked about the previous complaints. He said there was a $150 fine for excessive barking.

Grist also said one complaint was from a man who was living in the basement who was injured while playing with the dogs. Grist said the man needed a couple stitches in his leg. He also said the dogs killed that man's cat.

Grist said he didn't know the details of the other ongoing complaint involving a woman and that he "wasn't there" when she was.

1:54Mom of boy killed in Edmonton dog attack shares devastating grief

Bhogal said his firm Preszler Injury Lawyers is filing a claim for a February 2024 dog bite incident for the woman, who Global News is not identifying for safety reasons.

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In civil matters, remediations are sought, he explained. In this case, the lawsuit will allege this incident caused injuries that his client continues to suffer and impacts her ability to enjoy her life.

These claims have not been tested or proven in court.

Bhogal said he and his client are also hoping this claim might motivate the city to change how it handles animal complaints.

"When a serious attack occurs with one or two or more dogs, and the city is aware that, now this has become a pattern, I think more should be done."

1:42Father of boy killed by dogs in Edmonton speaks out

On Sunday, the boy's father explained that Kache was staying with him in Edmonton for 12 days over spring break. Grist said his son had spent time with the dogs — who belong to his roommate — many times before without any issues.

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"I've lived with these dogs for a long time and there's never been an issue like this. I would never put my son in a spot where he was at risk. I love my son," Grist said. "There was nothing that gave us any warnings about this being an issue.

"There was never a reason for me not to feel safe with them in the house," he added. "They weren't mean dogs."

He said finding his son unresponsive in the house Monday night was the hardest thing he's ever been through.

1:42Father of boy killed by dogs in Edmonton speaks out

Grist said all the public finger-pointing and blame is "taxing" and "unfair" and is making it impossible for him to properly grieve his son.

"People just need to stop and let us put him to rest … let us go heal, let us deal with this," Grist said. "I know it's not my fault, but I keep playing the what-ifs in my head … Those are killing me."

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He said he doesn't blame his roommate.

"She's grieving too," he said. "She's also dealing with all this regret and all this guilt.

"If I can sit here and be defending my roommate and forgiving her – not even forgiving her because I never blamed her in the first place – that if I can be empathetic to her and not place blame on her, then nobody else should."

Grist said his roommate signed the animals over to the city and that they were euthanized on Thursday.

© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Man's New Best Friend? Cane Corso, French Bulldogs Are Increasingly Popular Dog Breeds

When looking for a new animal best friend, Alabama residents are increasingly looking for large dogs with protective instincts, according to Pawsafe.Com.

A report found that in 2023, Alabama did the most amount of internet searches for Cane Corsos, French bulldogs, golden retrievers, miniature Pinschers and dachshunds.

The Cane Corso, a large Italian breed with protective instincts and imposing appearance, generated the highest search volume in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, possibly reflecting a growing interest in guardian dogs. Cane Corsos, a type of mastiff, are descended from Roman hunting dogs and farm dogs, according to the American Kennel Society.

The Cane Corso, French bulldog, pit bull, golden retriever, and Australian shepherd are among the most sought-after searched dog breeds in the country in 2023, according to Pawsafe. Of those breeds, golden retrievers remain the most popular nationally.

Of course, adoption remains a popular option, too. Use Petfinder to find eligible dogs that are the right fit for your family.

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Dogs Attack Fargo Woman And Her Two Dogs On A Walk

FARGO — Judy Kubalak is still trying to process the trauma of the brutal dog attack.

"I just couldn't even be by myself at all," she said of the attack's impact on her. "I told Gary, I said, 'I am sorry, I can't be by myself.' "

Judy Kubalak and her husband, Gary, got mini poodles Winston and Franklin a year and a half ago.

"It was really the best decision we made, because those two played together all the time," she said.

But when Judy Kubalak took Winston and Franklin out for a walk on Thursday, April 4, near the Rose Creek Golf Course off 25th Street South, she saw two dogs — believed to be a Cane Corso breed — heading her way. Her dogs were leashed.

"And I thought, 'Well, I better pick up the dogs,' and so I just bent down to pick them up, and they must have been going really fast, because I was on the ground to pick them up and they were on top of me and I felt that strength and the heaviness of it. And they put their mouth around my neck and I tried to get it off with my arm," she said.

"The one dog had Franklin down already, and the other dog had Winston in his mouth and was running away with Winston, and Winston was crying, and I thought, 'What do I do? Who do I help?'" she said.

Judy Kubalak said the attack felt like it lasted for around five minutes.

In the aftermath of the traumatizing event, she crawled up the embankment near the Rose Creek Coulee and got help from a homeowner. She thought both dogs were dead, but then she got a phone call.

"It's this gal, and she said, 'I found a dog. He's got your number on it.' And I'm like, 'Is he alive?' And she's like, 'Yeah. He's just kind of limping around a little bit,'" Kubalak said of Winston, the mini poodle that survived that attack.

Now, she is not only dealing with the trauma of the attack, but also with losing Franklin, who was like family. Kubalak lost her daughter, Charity, to a heart condition in 1998.

"I don't mean to compare it to the death of a child, but when I lost my daughter, it was the same in that I didn't want to be alone, at all, for a really long time," she said.

The Kubalaks hope something positive comes out of this horrible dog attack. Awareness, perhaps, about dogs like this in residential neighborhoods where adults and children walk every day.

"I think people who own these types of dogs, for their family, they're great. They're friendly, they wouldn't hurt a fly. But to strangers, to small animals, I think it's totally different, and I'm not sure the owners understand that," Gary Kubalak said.

The surviving dog, Winston, was injured but is recovering. However, Judy Kubalak said, he's just not himself.

And she is having trouble sleeping.

"It just doesn't leave my mind. It just all of a sudden flashes in there, and it's like, 'Oh, my god.' Or I'll wake up in the middle of the night and I'll just start breathing really hard and I'll grab Gary," Judy Kubalak said. "I don't know how people survive this kind of stuff ... Because it haunts me."

The Fargo Police Department told WDAY News they are investigating the dog attack, and the owner of the two dogs involved in the attack is cooperating.

Kevin Wallevand has been a reporter at WDAY-TV since 1983. He is a native of Vining, Minnesota in Otter Tail County. His series and documentary work have brought him to Africa, Vietnam, Haiti, Kosovo, South America, Mongolia, Juarez,Mexico and the Middle East. He is an multiple Emmy and national Edward R. Murrow award recipient.

Reach Kevin at kwallevand@wday.Com or 701-241-5317

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