Kei was adopted by the Lamont family a little over a year ago; recently the family home was burgled and Kei took a bullet to protect her best friend.
Boksburg, South Africa (11 October 2021) – Kei, a Malinois cross, was adopted by the Lamont family in 2020 from the Boksburg SPCA. The family welcomed a sweet, loving dog into their home, little did they know, she was also a hero!
The Boksburg SPCA recently shared an update about Kei and how she has become a massive hero. Sadly, the Lamont family had their house broken into by two armed robbers and Kei tried to save the day!
“In the early morning hours of the 3rd October, two armed robbers broke into the Lamont home in Lakefield Benoni. The intruders made their way upstairs to where the family were sleeping. One intruder entered the main bedroom where a terrifying shoot out took place, and he was shot dead. The second intruder entered the eldest daughter’s bedroom, gun in hand, not knowing that Kei was also on the bed, watching over her best friend. Kei recognised danger immediately and flew across the room before the intruder could get through the door, attacking him with a force he wasn’t expecting. The intruder retreated back into the hall and down the stairs leaving a trail of blood behind him. As he was fleeing, he shot and killed the family’s Biewer Yorkie Holly who, as small as what she was, gave her life to protect her family.”
Kei chased the second gunman down the stairs and into the kitchen. The gunman turned his gun on her and fired a shot. He injured her, shooting her through the nose as he made his escape. Even though Kei was terribly wounded, she ran out of the house, determined to get help for the family.
“Kei knew she had to get help and, despite her injuries, made her way out the gate to alert a neighbour she knew well. Surveillance footage shows her pacing up and down the gate trying to get help. She couldn’t bark because one of the bullets had shattered her jaw. With no luck, she ran down to the lake, a place she’s familiar with, looking for help.”
The family searched high and low for her, eventually finding her a while later laying, gravely injured, in the grass. The Boksburg SPCA attended the scene immediately and rushed Kei to an after-hour vet where she was stabilized.
Kei was x-rayed and it was determined that the bullet had entered the side of her nose, shattering her two top molars, severely injured her tongue and breaking her jaw.
She underwent surgery but the damage has been quite substantial.
“Our canine hero underwent major surgery on her jaw at Onderstepoort. Unfortunately, it was found that the damage is quite severe. Her tongue will need further treatment and more fragments of the bullet were found in her jaw bone.
It will be a tough road back to recovery for little Kei but the Lamont family will do whatever it takes to get Kei back to good health.”
The Boksburg SPCA will be presenting Kei with an award for her heroism as soon as she’s better.
“Kei protected her family because she felt loved and was not simply placed in the backyard for “security” like so many dogs in this country are. This is a beautiful example of how an unwanted, crossbreed, SPCA animal can go from “zero to hero”. There are thousands of dogs just like Kei sitting in SPCAs around the country, waiting to be adopted. Look after your pets and we promise, they’ll look after you!”
For an update on Kei as well as how to help cover her growing medical costs, check the latest story out here.