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Attacked by cougar and lived to wag his tail

A year after a cougar attack, a Keremeos dog named Hemi is still going strong

The question is, “Do the Lion’s still got a Hemi?”

And, of course the answer is yes.

Readers might remember about this time last year a story about a dog named Hemi who was attacked by a cougar.

RELATED: Keremeos dog survives cougar attack

Although it was touch and go for a few weeks, Laurie Lion and husband Mike say the 15-year-old dog is doing just fine.

“It was a bit touch and go there. He reopened his stitches a few weeks after. It took about six weeks before he could do the stairs again but I’d say that by the end of February he was just fine,” Laurie said with a smile.

Last January the husky, malamute, lab cross decided to break free of his leash when he was let out for the last time on a cold winter’s night.

Unfortunately the deep cold of -20 C had set into the valley around that time and the cougars and other large cats were being spotted down on the valley floor.

“He must have smelled something because he got loose and went running. He ‘treed’ a cougar and the cougar didn’t like it,” she said.

Although he had large gashes across his side, the then 14-year-old dog was able to get home and was laying beside the bed when Laurie got up in the morning. Luckily the cougar swipe missed any organs or arteries.

The way he was sliced he hardly bled.

“I didn’t even know at first that he was hurt,” she said.

Fifty-seven stitches and an $1,100 or so vet bill later and the almost 15-year-old pup is doing great.

“You wouldn’t even know it happened. You can’t even see the scars unless you pull up on his hair and look really close. He’s pretty amazing.”

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@TaraBowieBC
editor@keremeosreview.com

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