LIHUE — A Hanamaulu family said it’s reeling from the loss of two dogs in as many months to attacks by neighborhood pit bulls.
Priscilla “Precy” Nuesca said the loss of “Trixie,” a 5-year-old Shih Tzu Pomeranian, is devastating to the entire family. It is especially difficult after having already lost “Rex,” a Chihuahua Terrier, to an attack in 2006.
That first attack resulted in the family not keeping the dogs chained up outside. This second attack on April 9 happened when the pit bulls broke into the back porch where Trixie was located, Nuesca said.
“They never go out and we put up a gate and enclosed the porch but the pit bulls jumped right through,” Nuesca said.
Lea, who is Precy’s 21-year-old daughter, said her 15-year-old brother was home alone on both occasions to witness the fatal attacks against Rex and Trixie. In this case, he had just walked home from the bus stop and was relaxing when he heard Trixie and other dogs barking between 4:30 and 5 p.m.
He stood and saw two pit bulls trying to get over a dog gate and into the back porch, Lea said. Her brother rushed out to bring the two smaller dogs inside, but they had already jumped inside and one of them was biting Trixie all over her body.
Her brother called for help but by the time the boy’s father and the police arrived, Trixie had been mauled and was bleeding to death. They tried to force the pit bulls off the porch.
“Eventually, one of the dogs jumped out of the porch and the police followed it back to its home,” Lea said. “The owner came and took possession of the other pit bull.”
“There is no history with our neighbor,” Lea said. “In fact, we never met him in our lives — only his dogs.”
Information from police on whether the pit bull owners were charged and if the dogs were being investigated as dangerous animals was not available by Friday. The Kauai Humane Society reported that they currently have five dangerous dogs being held at the shelter but could not confirm if any of the dogs were related to the alleged attack.
The family took the motionless Trixie to see Scott Sims, DVM, of Pegasus Vet Clinic in Kilauea. He performed surgery and stitched up numerous holes in her body including her trachea, or windpipe, from a bite clean through her neck, Lea said.
Sims did not return a message from TGI.
“We brought her home, but she didn’t make it all the way through the next day,” Lea said. “She died the morning after.”
The loss was devastating to the family. The first incident wasn’t reported and the dog died before they could get it to a vet. They said they didn’t follow through with a report during their grief.
“Trixie was such a fun and loving dog,” said Lea Nuesca, daughter. “We miss her.”
The attacks are scaring the family, she added. The dogs have the potential to hurt other dogs, kids and adults.
“It’s not safe having animals like that in the neighborhood,” Lea said. “Anyone is at risk of getting attacked and we worry about my little brother. He does, after all, walk home by himself.”
For Precy, the emptiness of not being woke every morning by Trixie’s greeting is heartbreaking.
“My mom misses that,” Lea said. “Our dogs are like family members to us. Trixie was our playful, hyper baby, and her favorite thing to do was to get groomed.”
The family’s remaining dog is a Tibetan Spaniel.
