Regular readers of the Northern California Hiking Trails blog know that I love dogs and spend a lot of time outdoors with my golden retriever Molly.
I just read about a coyote who attacked a young girl and tried to drag her away. Fortunately her golden lab came to the rescue, biting the coyote and driving it away.
An animal that wildlife experts believe to be a coyote attacked a 7-year-old girl on Prudence Island on Dec. 30, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her toward the woods.
But the girl’s white American Labrador, named Kelly, fought the attacker off and saved her from injury.
Wearing only a long-sleeved shirt and a vest, Lauren was bitten on the arm. Lauren said that the coyote pulled her by the arm toward the woods. As Lauren tried to tug away from the animal’s grip, Kelly jumped in and bit the attacker’s rear leg.
I’ve seen many, many coyotes in my life. And where I live now, at Lake Shastina on the north side of Mount Shasta, I see a coyote at least once a week and I hear them nearly every night. But I’ve never had a problem with coyotes. I am wary when walking Molly in areas where they hang out. I keep her close to me and I watch closely for the coyotes.
Have you ever been threatened by a coyote or pack of coyotes? Share your story!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
John,
I had been under the impression that coyote attacks on humans were far lower then domestic dog attacks, even after taking into account the fact that there are far more dogs. Maybe, I have been wrong.
On a simular vain, one night I walked out of my house with my dog Tomodachi, probably a boxer, stratford terrior mix, to encounter a family of raccoons. Somehow he managed to slip his leash and attacked the nearest raccoon, the head male. The fight went behind the house and I was left to follow in my bare feet. When I got behind the house Tomodachi was nowhere in sight, but a baby raccoon that felt cornered, because it was between the house and myself, came for me. Just as it was about to bite me I saw a white blur pass over my feet. It was Tomodachi who killed the baby raccoon and left it for dead in 3 seconds and about 30 feet from where he caught it. My wife, Donna, found it and weighed it at over 3 pounds. Okay, maybe this was not a serious situation, but still even a small raccoon could deliver a worring bite.
I thank Tomodachi for saving me and hope he learned a valuable lesson. If you are going to kill something for the sake of killing it, go for the babies. The adults are much harder to take out. Ronald Thompson, Crescent City
Here is a story of a group of coyotes that saved a dying man. In a book by a man whose last name is wanderplanets (sp?), he tells of going out to the desert to die in discouragement about his cancer. He was still a young man living in Southern California at the time. He built a little shelter, and began to fast and wait. One moonlit night a group of coyotes came and seemed to telepathically communicate with him. Seemingly at their bidding he stumbled after them until they circled a rabbit, killed it and laid it at his feet. The coyptes watched and waited until he picked it up and decided to tear it open and eat it. Soon he was amazed at the strength that came back to him, and he decided to live. He decided to eat mostly raw foods and became well.
I too have had an interesting meeting with three coyotes. I had just returned home to Santa Fe after a thrilling fall six week solo hiking trip throughout the West. I was sitting in my house when three coyotes trotted up tp my window and peered in at me. I felt an empathic connection for quite some time when they turned aroud to go. In my mind I said “wait, I want to see you longer”. At that moment they turned around and came back to the window for a few more moments.
I’ve never heard of a (non-domesticated) coyote attacking anyone. My folks golf with coyotes all the time in Peoria, AZ – they like to nap in the morning sun on the golf courses.
I have had many encounters with coyotes as a result of living in the foothills of the San Gabrial valley and the Inland Empire in Southern California. When I was a child of about 8 I was attacked by a small group of coyotes. I was resuced by my boxer who attacked the group of 4 coyotes and chased them off. This attack occured in the backyard of my parents home, near the garbage cans on the side of the house. I have also had a small dog taken by a coyote, and recently have had coyotes stock me and my yorkie while on a walk. I also saw about 15 coyotes in a pack not more then 2 blocks away from my house in the middle of the night.
Twitter: @TheJohnSoares
A pack of coyotes stalked me and my golden retriever Molly when we were walking near the shore of Lake Havasu four years ago. They were primarily interested in Molly, and weren’t acting aggressive. I wondered if they were trying to convince her to come over and hang out with them so they could then attack her.
John Soares recently posted ..Wolves Spotted in Modoc County’s Warner Mountains