Elderly woman left traumatized after attacked by unleashed dog in Winnipeg
Posted July 3, 2026 10:52 am.
An 83-year-old woman is traumatized after she claims she was attacked by an unleashed dog in this A&W parking lot on Tuesday evening, leaving her with a bloody injury.
“That dog should be put down, because it’s just a matter of time before it happens to somebody else,” said Fran Kowalchuk, victim of dog attack.
Fran and her husband Syl Kowalchuk wanted to stop for a snack on their way home from an evening of shopping. Syl was helping Fran into their vehicle when she noticed a big black dog without a leash.
“I saw him coming. I was terrified; I screamed. And I covered my face with my arm, and he got my arm,” she explained.
Fran and her 87-year-old husband claim they were both knocked to the ground, and she was left with three punctures in her hand. She says when the owner approached the couple, Fran claims the man blamed her for the attack, saying that it happened just because she had a cane.
“He is not a very caring person. A caring person would have at least said I’m very sorry. He’s not a responsible dog owner,” said Fran.
Fran called the police and was referred to animal services; she says she was told nothing could be done without providing a name or address of the dog owner. She says all animal services told her to look for the man and his dog on their own and ask him for his name and address.
Citynews reached out to animal services, who said they are aware of the incident and are investigating.
“I really feel let down. I really feel that this gentleman got an ok pass to walk around, and as long as nobody gets his name and address. He and his dog can go around doing harm to other people.”
Fran says she underwent further testing on Thursday. Her doctor is concerned because there is no way of knowing if this dog has ever been vaccinated.
Going forward, Fran hopes the dog and its owner are found, but worries who could be next.
“It’s a sad situation, not just that the dog attacked me, but this could have been a little child. A little child would not have stood a chance against a big dog like that.”
