(no subject)

[ravena_kade]

Tonight will be the last night I walk any dog alone.

I had a 30 pound chubby dog out and I heard a yipping sound in the marsh grass. 3 large coyotes came out of the grass. I yelled but they ignored me. Usually I can spook them, but they were not interested in me. They were looking at the dog...who was too big for me to pick up. They started stalking us and then one out flanked me and was to my side. It was about six ft away. The dog I had was afraid and was trying to hide behind me. I kept screaming for help. Screaming as loud as I could as I was afraid for the little dog. I threw a bag of poop and hit the one that was close in the head and it backed off. They were about 15 ft behind me as I kept screaming for help. They trotted towards us... probably wondering what I would do. I made it to a line of cars and was able to go behind them and make it back into the shelter.

There is nothing like screaming for help and no one hears you.

Once inside I could hear the coyotes. I called the other volunteer to come out back. The large adults were there and there were 5 smaller ones that I think are this springs pups.

Comments

[palusbuteo]

Holy shit

[house_wren]

Wow. That is really scary and you did really well.

I had no idea there were coyotes where you live. I mean, you live in the city, right? We have coyotes here, out in the countryside, but they stay far away from people. City coyotes are bold?

Anyway, good job protecting yourself and the little dog.

[palusbuteo]

Yup, coyotes have managed to adapt and "hide in plain sight" in the most dense urban areas of Massachusetts. lots of landfill and trash piles to exploit....And...yeah sometimes backyards for unaware pets.

[fionaniconnor]

Urban areas = lots of stray/feral cats = easy prey.

[ravena_kade]

I do live in the city...a big city right outside Boston Massachusetts. Since we are on the coast there is a lot of Marsh land around us and that's where the coyotes live.

I generally like wild animals and would love to be out photographing the coyotes. I know they wanted the dog and not me, but it was scary.

[gwendraith]

How awful, I'm glad you managed to keep them at bay but how scary that must have been getting no response to your calls for help. Do you report cayote events like that to the authorities?

[ravena_kade]

The cops say they can't do anything about them. And technically as a private person with my own dog I would never be walking my pet in a marsh like area after dark. It is a recipe for disaster. The shelter is in the middle of a natural area so we are in their home.

[fionaniconnor]

Damn, girl. You handled that like a pro.

Get a can of bear spray.

[ravena_kade]

I want a taser.

I only have a few more weeks, then my volunteering will be in the day.

[fionaniconnor]

https://damselindefense.net/

[siduri1959]

Glad you and the pup are ok!

[kaishin108]

The power of the 'pack'! Holy S___! That must have been so scary. Thank goodness you are okay, whew!

[guy_todd]

Holy fuck that must have been terrifying :\. Good job hitting a coyote with a bag of shit though! *hugs*

[disneydream06]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank heavens you and the dog made it safely. :o

I hate to say it, but did nobody hear you, or did nobody respond? :o
HUGS, Jon

[ravena_kade]

I dont think they heard. While people may be afraid to help other people, most animal shelter people will do reckless things to help an animal.

[brickhousewench]

So scary! I'm glad you're OK.

[malterre]

Wow, you are the coyote scarer. Good use of dog poop! Those sounded like confident coyotes-terrifying

[ravena_kade]

I have never been scared like that. They were confident because there was more than one. A single coyote is mostly timid. They looked at me and the dog and you could tell that they were thinking... how to get the prize while not engaging with the tall loud screaming thing at the other end of the string.

What bothers me is that I was less than 300 ft away from the shelter building and no one culd hear me at my loudest screams. I was screaming like a banshee.

I only have a few more weeks left. The shelter is moving at the end of January. Then I will see if I can volunteer at the reception desk or in a kids program a couple of weekend a month.