Although coyotes rarely mess with people, they’re known for attacking and killing pets. Typically, they’ll go after both cats and dogs that weigh less than 25 pounds. But the biggest misconception is that these wild animals only hunt smaller prey. In truth, they’ll attack anything they think they can conquer. Recently, a pack of coyotes killed a 75-pound dog.
Protecting pets
Especially in parts of the country where coyote attacks are common, people can do things to dramatically reduce the risk. They should never allow their pets to run freely. And in high-danger areas, they need to keep a close eye on their animals even when on a leash. Pet owners can also carry a can of mace.
Current statistics
Pinpointing the number of dogs killed by coyotes is difficult. After all, some pets go missing at which time their owner can only assume what happened. And the number of attacks varies from one state to another. But as an example, over 12 months in Chicago, roughly 15 dogs were confirmed dead because of coyotes.
Best friends
There have also been cases when pets will chase off a coyote when attacking one of their own. That’s the story of Bella and Tasa…one a Dogo and the other a Border Collie. Since they lived next door to each other, the two had become close pals over the years.
Thanksgiving horror
One Thanksgiving, Tasa needed her friend more than ever. At roughly 2:30 a.m., Michael Cobb who owns Bella heard a lot of barking. This wasn’t just neighborhood dogs randomly making noise but something far more sinister. When Bella began to scratch at the window, he opened the door to let her outside.
Backyard invaders
Initially, Michael thought that nothing more than deer had entered his backyard, making his dog nervous. So, by letting her out, she would simply scare them off. But then, his pup let out a loud yelp.
Investigating the situation
At the sound of Bella crying out, Michael headed outside as well. Rather than deer, he spotted a pack of coyotes. Apparently, one had nipped at Bella, causing her to yelp loudly.
An awful discovery
It didn’t take long for Michael to realize that this particular pack was quite aggressive. But now with him and Bella after them, the coyotes took off. That’s when they noticed that Tasa was injured. Smaller and at eight years old, she wasn’t able to fight back as well.
Extraordinary measure
Spencer Williams, Tasa’s owner, explained that when the coyotes entered his backyard, his pup broke through the barrier as a way of trying to get away from them. Unfortunately, they were hot on her trail. Then, she did something extraordinary. Caught on surveillance was Tasa getting into the swimming pool as a way to protect herself from the dangerous animals.
Calling on a friend
But with that not working, she headed to the back door. With that closed, Tasa did the next best thing…she ran to her friend’s backyard. As a 116-pound Dogo, Bella was larger and stronger. That’s when she began scratching at the window to get out.
Heroic action
Making her way toward the coyotes, Bella put her body in between them and her buddy, Tasa. Both owners agree that if it weren’t for her, things for Tasa would’ve ended quite differently. Simply put, Bella was a hero.
To learn more about this story and see some of the footage, check out the video below. We all know that dogs are incredibly bright but this just goes to show that they’re a lot smarter than what we give them credit for. Now, Bella and Tasa are even more inseparable.
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