Osoyoos senior Ernie Demko and his pet dog Keiko were both rushed for emergency medical treatment after they were attacked by a vicious pit bull. Keiko lost his right eye, while Demko received numerous wounds from dog bites. Demko and Keiko are shown on the porch of their Osoyoos home recovering from their injuries with Demko’s wife Louise. (Keith Lacey photo)
A leisurely mid-week stroll turned into a bloody nightmare for an Osoyoos senior and his beloved pooch after they were viciously attacked by a huge pit bull in downtown Osoyoos.
Ernie Demko, 70, was walking his seven-year-old dog named Keiko – a beautiful and gentle half Havenese, half Lhasa Apso breed – 10 days ago when a huge, 90-pound pit bull jumped from its owner’s recreational vehicle in the parking lot of a downtown hotel and attempted to dismember and kill Keiko.
“I was walking Keiko like I do almost every day … but I could hear two dogs barking from an RV sitting in the parking lot of the hotel,” said Demko, who, along with his wife Louise, moved to Osoyoos from Chilliwack over a year ago to retire. “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this huge pit bull break through the screen and come after us.
“I pulled Keiko up into my arms and pinned her against my chest to try and protect her, but the pit bull jumped up and ripped her right out of my hands.
“After getting knocked to the ground, I tried everything in my power to try and get the pit bull to let her go, but then he started attacking me and bit me several times. He grabbed Keiko in its mouth and was thrashing her around. It was obviously trying to kill her.”
Demko suffered numerous serious injuries after being repeatedly bitten and was rushed to hospital in Oliver.
He suffered several dog bite wounds to his right leg and late last week was still black and blue from below his ankle up to his knee and forced to walk with a cane.
He also suffered numerous wounds to one pinky finger and near the bottom of his thumb of his other hand.
If not for the assistance of a stranger who rushed to the frantic scene, Demko is convinced his dog would have been killed and he might have suffered even more devastating injuries.
That stranger, Howard McVicar, repeatedly kicked the menacing pit bull with his heavy hiking boots, eventually forcing it to drop Keiko.
Demko was so thankful for McVicar’s assistance, he and his wife invited him to their Osoyoos home late last week to say thanks.
Keiko was rushed to the South Okanagan Veterinary Hospital in Osoyoos, but the veterinarian on duty was performing surgery, so Keiko was rushed to a veterinarian in Oliver.
Keiko’s right eye was removed as a result of the attack and he needed dozens of stitches to close numerous wounds.
After the unprovoked attack, the brother of the female owner of the pit bull commented that the dog “was dangerous and should be put down” and the owner didn’t disagree.
“She (owner) didn’t blame anyone … at least she accepted responsibility that this dog was vicious and agreed right away to put it down,” said Demko.
The dog was euthanized later that day, said Demko.
Demko said he considers it “miraculous” Keiko wasn’t killed.
“The attack was just so vicious … it was obviously trying to kill her,” he said. “The dog was so powerful and kept thrashing her around and nothing I tried could stop it.
“I thought for sure she was dead.”
The Demko’s have been left with a $2,400 veterinary bill, but a generous local citizen has helped set up an account at the Osoyoos Credit Union and donations are being accepted to help them pay off this bill.
Memories of this incident continue to haunt him, said Demko.
“I had blood pouring out all over me,” he said. “I was in complete shock and didn’t feel a lot of pain when it was taking place, but I’ve suffered through tremendous pain now that all these wounds are starting to heal.”
Without McVicar’s brave assistance, things would have turned out much worse, said Demko.
“I was on the ground yelling for help and one young girl tried to help and another lady jumped from her car to try and help, but the dog was just too big and out of control,” he said. “Then this big guy showed up and tried spraying the dog with a water bottle … and eventually started kicking him.
“I don’t know how many times he kicked him, but he finally got the pit bull to let go of Keiko. He finally ran back towards the parking lot and the RV he jumped from.”
RCMP officers were on the scene quickly and interviewed him, McVicar, the pit bull owner and several witnesses, said Demko.
Members of Demko’s family, including his wife, two sisters and brother-in-law also rushed to the scene, and ensured Demko and Keiko were rushed for immediate medical attention.
Dr. Hunt Von Herbting performed the emergency surgery on Keiko and “did a fantastic job,” said Demko.
Despite losing her eye and not wanting to spend time outside like she did before this incident, Keiko remains the same friendly, cuddly and loveable dog she was before the attack, said Demko.
“She used to run around the back yard, but now she just goes for a pee and wants back in immediately,” he said. “It’s going to take her some time to get back to normal, but the worst is over and we’re just glad she’s alive and will be with us for many years to come.”
There’s been great support from the Osoyoos community since this incident and the fact an account has been set up to help them pay their veterinary bills shows what a caring community this is, said Demko.
“That’s just awesome, just fantastic,” he said. “We’re both on a pension with a fixed income and $2,400 would be a serious hit.”
McVicar, 38, is an avid cyclist. He and a friend were cycling on Main Street when he viewed the attack.
“I heard this little dog screaming and it looked like it was being attacked and I could also see a man lying on the ground in obvious shock,” said McVicar. “I let three or four cars go by and drove my bike over to the scene. I had a water bottle with me and thought the pit bull might run away if I sprayed him with water, but that didn’t work at all.
“He had the little dog in his mouth and I knew he was going to kill it if I didn’t do something more drastic, so I started kicking.
“The first two kicks weren’t very hard and didn’t really do anything, so then I really wound up and kicked him as hard as I could. I could hear him wince and finally got the pit bull to drop the little dog and he ran away.”
McVicar’s mother has owned and operated Hillside Pet Grooming between Osoyoos and Oliver for many years and he grew up around dogs his entire life, he said.
Acknowledging there are many pit bulls that are friendly and gentle, he’s not surprised there are so many involved in unprovoked attacks against humans and other smaller dogs.
“Every dog is different, but what I will say about pit bulls in general is they are a very determined breed in everything they do,” he said. “When they set their mind to something, they are determined to get their way.
“This dog was easily 90 pounds and the fact he attacked a little dog for absolutely no reason at all clearly shows he was dangerous. I’m glad the owner put it down because something like this likely would have happened again.”
Louise Demko shook McVicar’s hand and thanked him profusely for assisting her husband and Keiko when he really didn’t have to.
“Thanks so much,” she said near tears. “You saved our little Keiko’s life and you might have saved my husband’s life.”
McVicar said he hopes others would help him in a similar situation and said he “just reacted” without thinking of the consequences.
“I just hope somebody would have tried to help if it was me being attacked,” he said. “I’m not afraid of dogs and I’m just glad I was able to help.”
Anyone wishing to donate to help pay the veterinary bill can visit the Osoyoos Credit Union on Main Street in downtown Osoyoos and donate to the “Keiko Fund.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
Howard McVicar doesn’t consider himself heroic, but Ernie Demko sure does after McVicar rushed to the scene where a pit bull was attacking Demko and his little dog Keiko. McVicar used numerous hard kicks to get the pit bull to release Keiko from the pit bull’s mouth. McVicar visited Demko late last week as he was still recovering from his many wounds. (Keith Lacey photo)
