A 14-pound Vancouver Island dog is down an eye but well on the road to recovery after his owner and her friend saved his life in a cougar attack.
Small, but tough as nails, little Oakey was dropped from the big catB次元官网网址檚 jaws thanks a noisy charge by Jessica Shaw and her friend during a routine walk near Port Hardy on Feb. 24.
Shaw and the friend were out on their usual after-work walk on a trail when disaster struck. Oakey was off leash and maybe 15-20 feet ahead of them when B次元官网网址渨e heard barking and then my dog shrieking and screaming,B次元官网网址� she said.
Shaw and her friend started running as fast as they could, screaming at the top of their lungs.
B次元官网网址淔rom a distance I could see a big cougar trying to get up a tree with my dog,B次元官网网址� Shaw said.
The cougar attempted to jump up the tree twice unsuccessfully.
B次元官网网址淥n the third jump he dropped my dog and ran to the top of tree just as I got to the bottom of the tree where my dog was crumpled on the ground covered in blood.B次元官网网址�
From there, Shaw scooped Oakey off the ground and she and her friend took off running.
B次元官网网址淲e were still about 20-25 minutes away from the car and as I carried my pup my friend was calling the vet,B次元官网网址� she said, adding, B次元官网网址淯nfortunately the local vet hospital was closed by then and we were directed to Nanaimo Emergency Veterinary Hospital. We got to the car and I immediately began driving down island, I begged the dispatch to please see if they could find something closer as he was so small and had sustained serious injuries.B次元官网网址�
The dispatch advised her she could try to reach an on-call vet in Comox B次元官网网址� a three-hour drive from Port Hardy B次元官网网址� and then provided their pager number.
B次元官网网址淟uckily, the vet in Comox returned my page and agreed to meet us in Comox where we arrived just after 9 p.m.B次元官网网址�
By midnight, it was determined Oakey had sustained a bite through his left eye that would need to be removed, several puncture wounds to his face, and he had neck and several skull fractures that required further assessment at the Central Victoria Veterinary Hospital.
Over the course of the last two weeks following the attack, Oakey has had surgery to remove his left eye and had craniotomy surgery to remove three bone fragments from his brain.
B次元官网网址淒espite the serious surgeries and injuries, Oakey has been one tough little cookie,B次元官网网址� Shaw said. B次元官网网址淗e never whined or whimpered once. He is still healing but his recovery is going very well and he will adjust to life with one eye in no time. I am so amazed and thrilled that my little 14lb dog survived such a serious attack.B次元官网网址�
Shaw said conservation office was called and advised that although officers were taking the matter very seriously and have posted signs to warn trail users about wildlife activity in the area, B次元官网网址渢hey did not go out to catch the cougar as they have no way of determining if theyB次元官网网址檝e got the right cat.B次元官网网址�
Shaw said in the past she has hiked the trails in town every day with her dog and although they have come across bears before, B次元官网网址淚 never thought weB次元官网网址檇 come across a cougar or that it would attack. I have the utmost respect for the outdoors and itB次元官网网址檚 natural inhabitants and I will always have Oakey on leash in the future.B次元官网网址�
A friend of hers has set up a Go Fund Me page, as OakeyB次元官网网址檚 vet bills came in over $13,000.
If you are interested in donating to help fund OakeyB次元官网网址檚 surgeries, please go to or google B次元官网网址淗elp OakeyB次元官网网址� on Go Fund Me.
B次元官网网址淚 am so appreciative of the all the kind words and sentiments the local people of Port Hardy have sent,B次元官网网址� added Shaw.
editor@northislandgazette.com
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