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By Valencia Jones
/ CW69 Atlanta
DECATUR, Ga. (WUPA) — A local livestock guardian dog is recovering and being hailed a hero after fighting off a large group of coyotes.
John Wierwille owns about 300 sheep through his company, Ewe Can Do It Naturally, and they graze and help clear land at different locations. He keeps about five of them in a pasture next to his home in Decatur, where they’re kept safe by his two Great Pyranees livestock guardian dogs, Casper and Daisy.
During the early morning hours of November 4, 2022, Wierwille rushed outside when he heard Casper barking.
“The first dog had the sheep behind her over there,” he said, pointing to the left side of the fenced-in area. “There were definitely 11 coyotes. When I came out, then Casper charged right into them and killed some of them right inside the pen.”
In an email to Atlanta Now News, Chris Mowry, a biology professor at Berry College who works with the Atlanta Coyote Project, said the behavior of those coyotes was extremely unusual, explaining they generally live in small family groups and are rarely aggressive.
Casper chased and killed eight coyotes, and after searching for him for over a day, Wierwille found him severely injured. He rushed Casper to an emergency animal clinic for treatment, and he was later transferred to Lifeline Animal Project.
Katrina Coleman, a registered veterinary technician with Lifeline, described the injuries to Casper’s neck and the left side of his body.
“Pretty serious. Probably the worst I’ve seen. I’ve been in the field about 17 years,” she said.
Despite his injuries, staff members at Lifeline say he’ll making a full recovery, and that’s on top of making new friends at the clinic.
“He’s spoiled rotten. He loves it here,” Coleman said. “He’s a hero, so I’m excited to be a part of his journey.
“He did a really great job protecting our sheep,” said Wierwille.
Casper’s journey will continue at the clinic for another week, then he’ll continue recovering at home.
First published on December 2, 2022 / 2:46 PM
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©2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Livestock guard dog fights off coyote pack – CBS News
