Police say they are investigating after an 83-year-old woman died in an apparent dog attack in Calgary.
Officers and paramedics were called Sunday to the Capitol Hill neighbourhood in the city’s northwest, where they found the injured senior.
She was transported to hospital and later died.
Police say in a statement that neighbours tried to help and that the owner of the three dogs was able to remove them from the scene before officers arrived.
They say the city has seized the dogs and the animals will be held during the investigation.
Criminal charges or fines could be laid, and the dogs could be put down.
One of the woman’s neighbours, who did not want to be identified, told CTV that he tried to help.
He said his wife heard a commotion in the alley with several dogs and went to see what was going on. The man then joined his wife and saw two dogs being pulled into a yard.
“A little frustrated that I wasn’t able to get there a minute or two sooner,” the man told CTV. “The comfort I can take is I was there with her, and she wasn’t alone.”
The man said the dog owner also tried to help as they waited for paramedics.
He said the woman was a great neighbour who was often working in her yard.
“She was a slight little old lady, great neighbour, spry, continually out gardening, pruning the hedges,” the man said.
“The best person you could hope to have for a neighbour.”