No matter how big your dog is, they can be vulnerable to animal attacks.
While these attacks are thankfully rare, that doesn’t mean that all dog owners are immune—even if they live in an urban area. Even in a city, dogs can be subject to attacks from animals like hawks, coyotes, and even bears.
One may think that, if they keep a close enough eye on their animal, they would be able to prevent one of these attacks from happening. However, as TikTok user Candie Hall (@candienicole) recently revealed, that isn’t always the case.
What Happened To This Woman’s Dog?
In a video with over 715,000 views, Hall says that, the day prior, she had gone outside to play with her three dogs. The time was approximately 2:30pm.
“I heard Miss Bella and the white one kind of start barking,” Hall recalls. “So, I looked over, and just right outside of my fence was a coyote.”
This did not immediately faze Hall, as she reveals in a follow-up video that she believed it was simply a dog. When she realized it was a coyote, she began “screaming and hollering.”
“I thought to myself, ‘Okay, I’m gonna go get my pistol, and he’s gonna run off,’” she thought of the coyote.
Grabbing the pistol directly behind her, she began firing at the animal. The coyote was undeterred.
Why Didn’t The Coyote Run Away?
Even though Hall shot several rounds at the coyote and managed to strike it once, it still “snatched” her dog away.
“I did everything in my power. I’m a very vigilant pet owner,” she says. “They are my family.”
“I’m just putting this out there because a lot of people will tell you, ‘Well, coyotes are afraid of humans,’ and blah, blah, blah. No, no,” she adds. “Now, I don’t know if he’s sick or if he’s a cross or whatever, but he’s huge, and something is not okay with this [coyote].”
She closes her video by advising caution, not only for pet owners but also for anyone with young children.
How To Prevent Coyote Attacks
Generally speaking, coyote attacks on pets are rare. That said, there is some evidence that coyote attacks on pets are increasing, even if attacks on humans are effectively nonexistent.
As Hall learned, coyotes are not always afraid of gunfire. While they may sometimes recoil at loud noises, coyotes tend to adapt to their environments. If they are living in a place with a considerable amount of gunfire, they may not immediately recoil at the sound. Additionally, there’s little evidence to suggest that killing coyotes solves the problem long-term.
In addition to vigilance, there are steps that pet owners can take to prevent coyote attacks.
According to the American Kennel Club, several steps have proven effective in reducing or eliminating coyote attacks. The first is getting your animals a coyote vest. These vests are outfitted with Kevlar and spikes, making it difficult for a coyote to bite the animal and carry it away.
Second, one can prepare their animal’s play area to be more coyote-proof. This involves installing tall fences, cleaning up poop and trash, and leashing the animal to ensure it can’t leave the area.
Finally, recall training—i.e., teaching one’s dog to immediately return when called—can stop an attack in its tracks if you see a coyote approaching.
Even with all of these preventative measures, there’s always a chance that a coyote can successfully strike. Still, by following these tips, one can dramatically reduce the possibility that something like this occurs.
Commenters Have Tips
In the comments section, users said that they, too, had witnessed coyote attacks. Others simply offered advice they had from learned experience.
“I seen a coyote come up and take a pet of a man that was walking his dog. They are not afraid,” claimed a user.
“I had a border collie and when I was outside with her at night, the pack of coyotes would come to the fence and act all sweet trying to lure her away. They weren’t scared, I could touch them too they wouldn’t even back off,” added another. “but I didn’t touch them, I hit them and yelled at them and made them get on.”
“I live outside of Nashville, about an hour and 30 min in the country. they are rampant in my part of town. You can hear them all times of day and night,” alleged a third. “I’m having a friend install those spike strips on the top of my privacy fence.”
BroBible reached out to Hall via TikTok direct message and comment.