Attacks on missing pets...... Animal attacks on missing pets is always a possibility....but they are statistically rare when you take into account how many missing pets are out there. Often attacks are instigated by the pets that actually chases the predator. Good reason to always have your dog leashed to prevent this. Some owners think it is cute to have their pets cavort with wild animals...cute yes...safe no..... One trick used by coyotes and possibly wolves is to have a pack member befriend a pet, lead it away then other pack members move in for the kill. Plus you never know how a wild animal may react from one day to the next...or what diseases they may carry. Attacks on domestic pets are usually the result of habitat being destroyed or a dwindling food supply. Some dogs are only assumed victims of coyotes and wolves. Some are victims of vehicle collisions and predators take advantage of the stricken pet although they had nothing to do with the original injuries . Others are attacked by wild dogs. Some are even victims of accidents involving industrial equipment or farm related equipment that can give the impression of an animal attack, bite marks and all. If a dog is found to have been seriously attacked and is alive....it is probably a wild dog attack (or even domestic dog attack). Predators kill to consume...not like most dogs that kill for sport. Once a will predator has incapacitated their prey the victim probably will not be seen again unless there is human intervention stopping the attack. Coyotes have a tendency to both attack and eat from behind when possible, often taking smaller animals to a secluded location. A dog with injuries to the head area or neck may have in fact been the aggressor in the beginning of the conflict with a wild predator Domestic dogs often go for the head area even in a minor altercation, sometimes shaking the victim just as they do their toys. Although it is of little consolation to the owners of missing pets that do get attacked....if you have a missing pet out there, odds high against a predator attack. Keep in mind you will get certain pockets where odds are greater, but again they are few and far between. If you see loose dogs, especially in groups, be sure to report it. These dogs, even if known to you as friendly, often are a bigger threat to domestic animals, including farm animals, than you can imagine. Some pets are seemingly friendly pets , but killers when out of the sight of their owners! Some meet other dogs on a routine basis and run in packs, with their owners totally unaware. In summary...attacks on missing dogs are not always what they seem, keep your pets supervised and on leashes especially in green and farm areas, do not let your pets play with strange animals, and avoid areas that are documented as frequent attack areas. Above all if your pet is missing, do not panic over predator attacks. Keep in mind all the pets of all sizes that have survived in predator infested areas without being attacked. Sadly some attacks come down to bad luck, wrong place wrong time. REMEMBER ..... THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES....BUT ODDS ARE ALWAYS IN YOUR FAVOUR WHEN IT COMES TO THE DANGER FROM PREDATORS! BEING POSITIVE IS THE KEY TO ANY SUCCESSFUL MISSING PET RECOVERY. ALSO....our hearts go out to people who have missing pets attacked by any animal. We hope they never think we are downplaying the emotional trauma of such attacks. We are glad they are not as frequent as people believe, but are saddened that even one pet is attacked. We also hope they know such an attack .... IS NOT THEIR FAULT.....and they should never feel guilty no matter how their pet went missing. These attacks are unpredictable and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them. They are the result of BAD LUCK....not bad owners.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 03:49:12 +0000