MANOA, Hawaii (KHON2) — A Manoa woman is looking for justice after her beloved dog was killed in August in what she describes as a vicious attack by a dangerous dog.
She is hoping others will not be its next victim.
Emogene Yoshimura was walking her 13-year-old Bichon, Kiki, on Saturday, Aug. 3 along East Manoa Road when she noticed a neighbor’s large dog loose on the street and charging toward them.
“So we turned to run. He knocked me over and then he grabbed her by her neck and bit down on her trachea,” Yoshimura said. “Her throat had a hole in it, when I took her to the animal emergency, they had to put her in an oxygen cage and her condition worsened. So, I had to have her euthanized.”
Experts said pet owners should avoid approaching dogs that look dangerous if possible, but it is not always that easy.
“Brown bears, you play dead. Black bears, you fight back. So dogs are a little different. You don’t want to go aggressive. You don’t want to act big and make a lot of noise, that can instigate them more. You want to stay calm, you don’t want to make eye contact. One of the big things is, you know, stand up, make sure you don’t fall down,” said Oahu SPCA Veterinary and Shelter Operations director John LeBron said.