Dogs in Canada kill 7-year-old girl during playtime

USPA News - A 7-year-old girl in the Canadian province of Manitoba was killed on Sunday when she was attacked by two dogs belonging to family friends, authorities said on Monday. It happened just as the family had stepped away for a moment.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it received a call for help from the girl`s family just before 3:30 p.m. local time on Sunday after the attack by two Alaskan Malamutes in Springfield, a rural town east of Winnipeg. The young girl, identified as 7-year-old Gracie Herntier-Clark, was pronounced dead after being rushed to Children`s Hospital in Winnipeg. The girl, who is from the rural municipality of St. Andrews, was having supervised playtime with the animals at the home of family friends on Sunday afternoon. When the family briefly stepped away from the child, the dogs attacked for still unknown reasons. After the attack, Springfield Animal Control took the dogs from the family for supervision and care, officials said. When asked what would happen with the dogs, a spokesperson for the RCMP said "the animals are still in the control of the arm of Springfield Animal Control pending the outcome of our investigation." However, Springfield Animal Control said on its Facebook page that the group would not be releasing any information. "Please note, there will be no press release or casual discussion from us surrounding [Sunday`s] tragic events," the post said. "Please show respect for those involved, our thoughts go out to all those impacted by this terrible incident." The Alaskan Malamute is a large breed of domestic dog, weighing between 75 and 85 pounds (34 and 38 kilograms), and was originally bred for to haul heavy freight because of their strength and endurance.