Service dog dies after being attacked by two pit bulls in Koreatown

By Sophie Flay

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    KOREATOWN, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Jasmine Amaya was taking her dog on a morning walk in Koreatown earlier this month when she says two pit bulls attacked them.

Surveillance footage shows a man was sweeping by his front gate when he left the door open.

The first dog escaped and immediately attacked Amaya’s dog, Keoki. She lunged at them to try to save Keoki. Then another pit bull followed.

“My hands were wrapped around my dog and they got him. I can feel all their teeth because they were chewing on us,” said Amaya.

Surveillance footage shows the owner of the pit bulls trying to stop them but it took two people to free Amaya and Keoki of the attack.

“They broke his ribs and they punctured his lungs,” said Amaya.

Amaya said she needed stiches and got a tetanus shot. While vets tried to save Keoki’s life, he ended up going into cardiac arrest and dying shortly after.

Amaya says her wounds are healing but her heart is broken. Keoki was her best friend for eight years, and a trained service dog helping her with narcolepsy.

Additionally, Amaya took him to auditions for films. She said he appeared in photo shoots and he was also hired to go to senior homes to visit residents there.

“He was a really special dog,” said Amaya.

While she hasn’t heard from the pit bull owners, she says LAPD is looking into the attack. ABC7 also reached out to police but has not yet gotten a response.

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