Dog attack in Val-des-Sources: Patrick Houle guilty of criminal negligence

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Patrick Houle and his lawyer, Bernard Raymond, during his trial. (Archive photo)

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The owner of the dogs that attacked two women in Val-des-Sources in August 2021, Patrick Houle, was found guilty of the two counts of criminal negligence causing harm he faced.

< p class="StyledBodyHtmlParagraph-sc-48221190-4 hnvfyV">His trial was held in September at the Sherbrooke courthouse.

Patrick Houle had claimed during his trial that he had not been aware of complaints about his Danes before the events of August 31, 2021.

Micheline Beaulieu and Jacqueline Sévigny were attacked by two Great Danes while they were walking on the cycle path leading to the Saint-Barnabé sector. They had been bitten on their legs and arms.

The morning of the incident, the owner of the dogs left the gate of his company, Magnesium technologies recycles (MTR), in Val-des-Sources, open to allow his employees to enter.

Her five Danes, who serve as guard dogs, took the opportunity to go out. They pursued the group of five walkers of which Micheline Beaulieu and Jacqueline Sévigny were part. Both women tripped and were bitten.

Photos of the injuries suffered by the victims were filed as evidence in court.

The court held that Patrick Houle received warnings on several occasions concerning his dogs which escaped and regularly left his land to escape. get on the cycle path.

Quebec Court Judge Conrad Chapdelaine affirmed that Patrick Houle knew that on two occasions the dogs had attacked people. In his decision, the judge said that given the behavior of the dogs during a recent prior event, the danger the animals posed was foreseeable to a reasonable person in the same circumstances. p>

Criminal and penal prosecutor François Houle maintains that the victims are relieved by the judge's decision.

When a person owns dogs, they must ensure that these dogs which have a potential for danger will not harm others, and in our situation, the fact that the gentleman left his loose dogs on the cycle path at different times was considered a significant departure from what a reasonable person would have done, says he.

[The victims] always thought, even before the events, that&#x27 ;there was a problem with the management of these dogs

A quote from François Houle, criminal and penal prosecutor

The Sentencing recommendations for Patrick Houle will take place on January 5, 2024.

With information from René-Charles Quirion