Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 05:16:31 -0500
From: J Gibson
Subject: Sunday Morning Drama
We happened to look out our windows early Sunday morning to see two coyotes lying down in the hay field that’s quite a ways behind our house. We had to get the binoculars to determine that they really were coyotes but it soon would have been evident anyway as there was a large fawn colored dog that had their attention just at the edge of the field in the woods line.
As we watched, the dog started toward the two coyotes, wary but neither overly friendly nor aggressive. Both coyotes got up and one started easing around toward the side and back of the dog. The dog’s attention was fixed on the coyote who had stayed in place and seemed unaware of the coyote circling around behind him. At this point, my husband stepped outside and started yelling and both coyotes ran off into the woods with the dog running after them. This all happened very quickly and even if a gun had been readily available, unlocking it, and loading it would have taken far longer than the drama before us took.
But, that wasn’t the end. A few minutes later, both of the coyotes returned with the dog following after them and again, all of them stopped at the edge of the hay field. While the dog’s attention was fixed again on the one coyote, the other coyote circled behind him as before. Again, we yelled and whistled and all of them ran off into the woods for the final time.
I’m sure a single coyote would not have tried to attack a dog that size by itself but I know they can and will gang up on large animals (even though they might hesitate with just the two of them as in this case). We did not see either the dog or the coyotes again. We can only hope the dog came to his senses and went home but that may not have happened.
We weren’t anywhere close enough to ascertain the breed of the dog for sure nor whether it was male or female but if you’re missing a large fawn-colored dog in the area between SR1010 and 902 just off 421, I’m not sure it will be found. Please keep your pets at home. Please do not chain them as they would have no chance to escape at all. If you don’t care whether your dog/cat is killed by coyotes or don’t care enough to give him decent shelter and a safe place, please don’t get a pet.
A responsible pet owner is a caretaker of their pet and some of you treat them as if you were a jailor or slave owner instead! Please have a little compassion and take care of your pets.