A Coyote Took My Bruiser

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Maybe he got out of the fence, or someone stole him?

If it's any consolation, I saw a coyote catch a 20 lb woodchuck in my backyard once, and the coyote killed it very neatly in about 3 seconds.

[OakLeaf]

(((((bunny)))))

[Eden]

I'm so sorry Bunny. That's a hard way to lose a pet.

Coyotes aren't just country/suburb dwellers these days.... I live in the middle of the city of Seattle and there's been sightings just a few blocks from my house. Very scary that one was so bold.

[NoNo]

That's heartbreaking Be glad you didn't find a body. When I was six, I found our pet rabbit's body after he'd been attacked in his cage! Let's just say that's stuck with me. Focus on the happy memories. xx

[sbctwin]

{{{{bunnydodger}}}} I am so sorry this has happened. I had the scenerios running through my head as I read your story....

[bunnydodger]

Thank you all for your kind comments. You are all so special.

Blecker: I wish with all my heart that someone stole him or he got out of the fence, but unfortunately neither were the case.

I will try very hard to be brave and move on from this, but it's just so difficult to let go now.

[Smilie]

Your grief is still new, you will be able to move on when the pain lessons. Which sad to say only time can heal.

Is there anything you can do to prevent coyotes coming into your yard? Maybe finding a way to do this may help you with your sadness.

[GLC1968]

Oh, how awful!

I'm so sorry for your loss!! I would cling to the thought that it was likely quick and painless and Bruiser never knew what happened.

We haven't seen coyotes here yet, but I'm sure they are around. I fear for our chickens when we finally get to let them into the yard. I know it's the natural order of things, but it still sucks.

[bunnydodger]

Smilie - We have submitted a request to our HOA to build a 5ft. picket fence at least 5 feet in from our split rail with coyote rollers on the top. This might at least deter the coyotes from having full visibility into our yard. I'm not getting my hopes up because these HOA's are so strict. If they deny our request, we will have to think of some other way to protect our pets. I have two other little Chi's and will not even let them out of the house. They are using piddle pads.

I have also been doing some research on coyote attacks in the Parker, CO area and was shocked to find there have been several other coyote incidents that occurred particularly in our listed subdivision. We have lived in this home for 10 years and never had a problem with the coyotes. They are so big they look like wolves! When we were searching for Bruiser we found a young deer buck torn to shreds and cleaned of all flesh in the gulley behind our house. So, I'm afraid they may be hunting in packs.

[Smilie]

That is awful to hear. Can you contact your game and fish department? If they are attacking pets, then they may try and take a child next.

[bunnydodger]

I contacted the CO Division of Wildlife, Animal Control, and the Town of Parker to make a report, but no one has gotten back to me yet.

I am greatly concerned that small children may be next.

[bmccasland]

That is awful to hear. Can you contact your game and fish department? If they are attacking pets, then they may try and take a child next.

I highly doubt a coyote has ever taken a child. They are opportunistic and very adaptive scavangers. The only native mammal to North America that has expanded their range with the on coming of White Man. Also they aren't known as Wile E Coyote for nothing.

Bunny, I'm sorry for your loss. There is a problem with the urban / wildlife interface, that humans need to accept. Coyotes have learned long ago that small dogs and kitties are tasty morsels. Coyotes are right up there with squirrels - if you trap them, another one will be right behind it to move into the territory. With coyotes in your area, you need to have a solid fence high enough that Wile E can't jump over. A split rail fence means your dogs can get out, and predators can get in. Have a friend in the hospital right now recovering from a dog escaping his yard through a rail fence and knocking my friend off his bike. But I digress.

If a "problem" animal is trapped, it will most likely be destroyed, as there's no place to move it. The joys of human population expansion and suburban sprawl. Unless the coyote is acting odd, or has attacked a human unprovoked, I highly doubt the local Animal Control or Game & Fish Department will do anything about it.

Coyotes are diurnal - they're most active in the evening and early morning hours. So your little dog was out at the same time Wile E was cruising for dinner. Wile E probably knew you had a dog, and was just checking to see if it was out, when unfortunatly the encounter occurred.

I'm sorry if this sounds a bit crass, but back when I was studying Wildlife Management in college, the joke was that we were actually studying Wild-People management, as the wildlife was doing fine without us humans. The trouble occurs when you add people to the mix. Despite how we like to deny it, we are all part of the predator-prey mix.

Ddin't mean to be this long winded either.

[Brandi]

Thank you all for your kind comments. You are all so special.

Blecker: I wish with all my heart that someone stole him or he got out of the fence, but unfortunately neither were the case.

I will try very hard to be brave and move on from this, but it's just so difficult to let go now.

It took me almost a year to get over my Niko's death. I still shed a tear for him time to time. But I found him after so the image has never gone from my mind. At least you didn't find him like you found the deer. Be thankful for that.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

i lost a cat to a dog attack and found his body so I can really relate on all levels.....It took me almost a year to get over my Niko's death. I still shed a tear for him time to time. But I found him after so the image has never gone from my mind. At least you didn't find him like you found the deer. Be thankful for that.

I'm just going to say something that I think might be comforting to Bunnydodger-
When dogs attack other animals (and sometimes not for food, but just to be aggressive), they tend to bite and tear at them.
I witnessed a coyote kill a hefty 20 pound woodchuck in my yard years ago. It was quite different from any dog attack I've ever seen, and was very efficient. The coyote circled the woodchuck over and over to find just the right moment, then it lunged in quickly and pinned the woodchuck down to the ground by the neck, in its jaws. It quickly maneuvered a good hold of the woodchuck's neck, then gave the woodchuck just one violent shake by the neck, and I could see that it must have instantly broken its neck. The woodchuck was stone dead. All this took about 5 seconds. Then the coyote picked the dead woodchuck up in its mouth and trotted off with it.
I only describe this in detail so that BunnyD might understand that her little dog likely didn't suffer the same way as a cat torn up by a dog. He probably was killed very quickly and didn't even have time to know what was happening.

[Zen]

Every time I read the title of this thread I feel sad.