• Casper is a herd dog for the landscaping company called ‘Ewe Can Do It Naturally’ that leases sheep for naturally managing landscapes.
• While watching over his herd, a pack of 11 coyotes attacked the sheep.
• Casper killed 8 of the coyotes, he sustained serious injuries but he is recovering well.

Urban Shepherds is a nonprofit organization that advocates for sustainable solutions for landscaping management. One of its members, Ewe Can Do It Naturally, leases its flock of sheep to graze on landscapes.

Ewe Can Do It Naturally owner John Weirville relies on his 2-year-old Great Pyrenees to stand guard over the sheep whenever they are deployed to a clearing project.

One day, Casper was doing his job when a pack of almost a dozen coyotes got near his herd.

Wandering coyotes are common in the area but them being in a large group is rare.

Chris Mowry, a professor of biology at Berry College and who works with the Atlanta Coyote Project said, “This is extremely unusual behavior for coyotes, and we suspect that there might be extenuating circumstances.” The most sensible reason would be the coyotes gave birth to a large litter and the pups have not been disbursed yet.  Another reason could be the abundance of available resources in Atlanta.

Casper protected his herd from the coyote attack by killing eight coyotes before they could inflict injury on the sheep.  The herd was safe but he got seriously wounded in the fight. Casper lost his tail and he had big open wounds on his side and neck. 

The hero dog was taken to the Lifeline Animal Project where he is being taken care of. Katrina Coleman, a vet tech at the facility worried that recovery is not an option for Casper. “How bad are these wounds, and is it something that can be fixed? Or is it something that is beyond fixing? You know, that is what makes the quality of life an issue.”

But Casper is healing and recovering from the violent coyote encounter. Weirville said, “I can’t even explain how good it is to see him right now, because I felt like there was no way he was going to live when I saw him (after the attack).”

Thanks to the Lifeline Animal Project who donated their care to Casper, the hero herd dog is healing.  It may take several more months for Casper to be out of the woods but it is such a relief to know his act to save his herd did not cost him his life.

Heal well, Casper!

Source: WIBW