On Coyotes
This afternoon, Elizabeth asked "Did you hear about Jessica Simpson's dog?"
Yes, I heard. Jessica Simpson's Maltese-Miniature Poodle mix was snatched by a coyote.
Coyotes can weigh between 15-46 lbs. and are opportunistic predators, typically preying upon small mammals such as rabbits and squirrels. They are much more adaptable to an urban environment than their more cautious wolf relatives, and have expanded their range to include areas where wolves are no longer the top predator. They commonly attack livestock and pets. In fact, the Animal Urgent Care hospital of south Orange County, California sees 3-5 coyote attack victims each week, typically dogs.
Given the information above, which is readily available (I found it on Wikipedia), it should be fairly simple to protect your pet from a coyote attack with some simple precautions. Leash your dog or contain it to a fenced yard, and supervise the animal outside. This alone should be enough to protect a small dog from two small coyotes (they typically hunt in pairs). Coyotes avoid humans even in densely populated urban areas, so an immediate human presence would end the hunt. Attacks on humans are very, very rare!
Jessica tweets "My heart is broken because a coyote took my precious Daisy right in front of our eyes. HORROR! We are searching. Hoping. Please help!" If she cared so much, why was the dog not protected? Leashed or fenced, close at hand? If I knew there were coyotes around, I wouldn't let a German Shepherd out of arm's reach, never mind a Maltese mix. There is pretty much no excuse for letting your pet get eaten by a wild animal.
By the way, Jessica, you can call off the search. I know where Daisy is. She's in the coyote's tummy. Let it go. The coyote was just being a coyote. Too bad you weren't being a responsible pet owner.
Just one final note. Who the hell is Jessica Simpson and why is this on the front page of CNN.com?
Yes, I heard. Jessica Simpson's Maltese-Miniature Poodle mix was snatched by a coyote.
Coyotes can weigh between 15-46 lbs. and are opportunistic predators, typically preying upon small mammals such as rabbits and squirrels. They are much more adaptable to an urban environment than their more cautious wolf relatives, and have expanded their range to include areas where wolves are no longer the top predator. They commonly attack livestock and pets. In fact, the Animal Urgent Care hospital of south Orange County, California sees 3-5 coyote attack victims each week, typically dogs.
Given the information above, which is readily available (I found it on Wikipedia), it should be fairly simple to protect your pet from a coyote attack with some simple precautions. Leash your dog or contain it to a fenced yard, and supervise the animal outside. This alone should be enough to protect a small dog from two small coyotes (they typically hunt in pairs). Coyotes avoid humans even in densely populated urban areas, so an immediate human presence would end the hunt. Attacks on humans are very, very rare!
Jessica tweets "My heart is broken because a coyote took my precious Daisy right in front of our eyes. HORROR! We are searching. Hoping. Please help!" If she cared so much, why was the dog not protected? Leashed or fenced, close at hand? If I knew there were coyotes around, I wouldn't let a German Shepherd out of arm's reach, never mind a Maltese mix. There is pretty much no excuse for letting your pet get eaten by a wild animal.
By the way, Jessica, you can call off the search. I know where Daisy is. She's in the coyote's tummy. Let it go. The coyote was just being a coyote. Too bad you weren't being a responsible pet owner.
Just one final note. Who the hell is Jessica Simpson and why is this on the front page of CNN.com?