Vet warns dogs involved in Carnikava kindergarten attack still pose repeat risk
After two dogs attacked kindergarten children in Carnikava, veterinarian Lita Konopore warns the animals remain near the facility and could repeat the aggressive behavior. A criminal case has been opened and the dogs' owner identified.
Lita Konopore, deputy head of the Small Animal Veterinarians Section of the Latvian Veterinary Association, told LETA that after two dogs attacked children at Carnikava's "Riekstiņš" kindergarten, the animals should have been removed immediately. She believes the incident reflects society's long-standing tolerance of stray dogs.
She explained that biting is a natural instinct that cannot be trained out of an animal. The fact that two dogs were involved made the situation more dangerous, since two dogs together already form a pack.
What owners and municipalities should do
According to Konopore, the only way to prevent such attacks is to ensure owners supervise their dogs, keeping them on a leash or under full control at a safe distance. Municipalities must monitor risk areas, verify chipping and registration, and make sure residents know whom to call about stray animals. Where a municipality doesn't catch strays itself, it must have contracts guaranteeing this is actually done.
She cited last October's case in Bauska municipality's Brunava parish, where three dogs were shot, as an example of society's tolerance toward irresponsibility.
What happens next
Since the start of this year, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) no longer assesses dog danger levels due to budget cuts and the system proving ineffective, so the State Police, as the lead authority given that people were injured, will now decide the dogs' fate. The owner must take the dogs to a veterinarian for a health certificate, including vaccination status. If the owner is convicted in the criminal proceedings, the dogs could eventually be euthanized, though the process may take years.
Konopore stressed that the dogs still remain near the kindergarten, creating a high risk of repeated attacks. She also criticized Latvia's "no-kill" policy, noting that some shelters place aggressive dogs up for adoption while concealing their history of biting incidents.
The State Police opened a criminal case on Friday under the Criminal Law's provisions on offenses against public safety and order. The attack occurred during a planned walk outside the kindergarten grounds; six children were injured, two of whom were hospitalized and underwent surgery, along with one teacher who tried to protect the children. A passing driver stopped to help.
