For the third summer in a row, a vicious and unprovoked attack involving a pit bull has people talking – and afraid – in Osoyoos.
Two years ago in August of 2013, a vicious pit bull named Brutus attacked and seriously wounded another dog that was tethered on private property.
The RCMP seized Brutus and the dog was being held in an animal control facility at the Town of Osoyoos Public Works compound in the industrial park when Brutus somehow got loose and attacked and killed another dog in a cage at the opposite end of the kennel.
Someone broke into the facility and freed Brutus, but the dog was never heard from again and the person responsible for taking him was never found or arrested.
Last summer, local dog owner Rick Deis was walking his loveable little dog named PoopyBear downtown, when another pit bull viciously attacked and seriously injured Deis’ dog.
That pit bull was deemed by animal control officers to be “aggressive” and his owner was ordered to have the dog muzzled at all times while away from private property.
The most recent incident 10 days ago involving a pit bull almost claimed the life of Keiko, a cute and harmless half Havanese, half Lhaso-Apso breed, and severely injured his owner, Ernie Demko, 70.
Demko was taking Keiko for his daily walk near downtown Osoyoos when an aggressive pit bull jumped through the screen of his owner’s recreational vehicle and viciously attacked Keiko without provocation or warning.
While trying to protect his dog, Demko suffered several serious dog wounds and had to be rushed to hospital in Oliver.
A week after the attack, Demko was walking with a cane and was in severe pain recovering from his many wounds.
Keiko was also rushed for emergency surgery and lost her right eye. She also needed dozens of stitches to repair serious wounds all over her tiny body.
If not for the intervention of a stranger named Howard McVicar, there’s no doubt Keiko would have been killed.
And considering how vicious and out-of-control this particular pit bull was during this incident, it’s quite possible the attack on Demko might have resumed once Keiko was disposed of.
McVicar was heroic in risking his own safety to intervene. McVicar stands six-foot-four and weighs roughly 200 pounds and it took several violent kicks to get this pit bull to finally let go of Keiko and scamper away.
Thankfully, the owner of this vicious dog agreed it should be put down and the dog was euthanized within hours of this frightening attack that could have ended up far worse than it did.
Breed-specific legislation will remain controversial and there are sure to be a myriad of loving pit bull owners who will vehemently defend their dogs – and breed.
The stale cry of “don’t blame the dogs, blame the owners” quite frankly doesn’t cut it any longer after these three horrible incidents in our little town.
Pit bulls have been banned in Ontario and Manitoba and this, not surprisingly, has led to a marked reduction in the number of vicious attacks against smaller dogs and young children. The town currently has a bylaw which, among other things, requires that pit bulls and other aggressive dogs be enclosed behind a six-foot fence.
Considering these attacks over the past three summers, the time has certainly come for council to consider implementing a bylaw that prohibits any pit bull from being on any street in this community unless fully muzzled.
If this isn’t done, we’re afraid other small dogs – and perhaps even, worse, a small child – will continue to be attacked without reason. Saying “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t know my dog would ever do that” won’t cut it any longer.
