Fishstory
08-24-2006, 08:07 AM
Rabid Coyote Attacks Hampden Dog
By Meghan Backus
<!-- section $section --><!-- vidcheck $vidcheck --><!-- section $section --><!-- vidcheck hi -->http://media.cbs3online.com/designimages/video_icon_gen1.gif Video High (javascript:openPopup('%2Fr%3F19%3D950%2632%3D2452%267%3D92137%2640%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbs3online.com%252Fnews%252Flocal%252F3712051.html%253Fvideo%253DYHI%2526t%253Da%2641%3DVideo%2BRabid%2BCoyote%2BAttacks%2BHampden%2BDog%2618%3D0.11135622887967478','video','scrollbars=yes,width=520,height=470,screenx=15,screeny=15');)
Dog is man's best friend, but for one dog named Bear, that man - her owner - is probably her hero.
Like any other morning, Brian Delnegro took Bear to her dog house in his backyard. Moments later, he heard yelping and Brian came back outside to find a coyote attacking the one-and-a-half year old dog.
"I was more worried about the dog than I was myself," Delnegro said. "And the dog was more worried about me because she just sat there trying to bite it - holes in her leg, yelping."
That's when Brian tried to shoe the wild animal away with a heavy gardening rake. The coyote finally ran back into the woods, but returned later that evening. And this time, Brian was ready.
"I ran for my porch, across here, and took probably 30 feet away shot the thing right in the neck," he said. "It ran away, and we chased him, me and my younger brother, and we actually clubbed it when we got in the woods. Then we called the environmental police."
When they examined the coyote, they found it had rabies which presents a whole new set of risks - and for people who don't live anywhere near Hampden.
"Coyotes can range any where from 4 to 30 sqare miles," said John Flynn, Hampden Board of Health. "So, just because a rabid coyote was detected or found in one particular area, don't think that you can be half a mile away and be safe.
Brian says he would do it all over if it meant keeping his dog and family safe - but he's hoping he doesn't have to go through the same ordeal again.
"It was very trying to think that could happen right in your back yard, but I'm glad it's over with."
By Meghan Backus
<!-- section $section --><!-- vidcheck $vidcheck --><!-- section $section --><!-- vidcheck hi -->http://media.cbs3online.com/designimages/video_icon_gen1.gif Video High (javascript:openPopup('%2Fr%3F19%3D950%2632%3D2452%267%3D92137%2640%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbs3online.com%252Fnews%252Flocal%252F3712051.html%253Fvideo%253DYHI%2526t%253Da%2641%3DVideo%2BRabid%2BCoyote%2BAttacks%2BHampden%2BDog%2618%3D0.11135622887967478','video','scrollbars=yes,width=520,height=470,screenx=15,screeny=15');)
Dog is man's best friend, but for one dog named Bear, that man - her owner - is probably her hero.
Like any other morning, Brian Delnegro took Bear to her dog house in his backyard. Moments later, he heard yelping and Brian came back outside to find a coyote attacking the one-and-a-half year old dog.
"I was more worried about the dog than I was myself," Delnegro said. "And the dog was more worried about me because she just sat there trying to bite it - holes in her leg, yelping."
That's when Brian tried to shoe the wild animal away with a heavy gardening rake. The coyote finally ran back into the woods, but returned later that evening. And this time, Brian was ready.
"I ran for my porch, across here, and took probably 30 feet away shot the thing right in the neck," he said. "It ran away, and we chased him, me and my younger brother, and we actually clubbed it when we got in the woods. Then we called the environmental police."
When they examined the coyote, they found it had rabies which presents a whole new set of risks - and for people who don't live anywhere near Hampden.
"Coyotes can range any where from 4 to 30 sqare miles," said John Flynn, Hampden Board of Health. "So, just because a rabid coyote was detected or found in one particular area, don't think that you can be half a mile away and be safe.
Brian says he would do it all over if it meant keeping his dog and family safe - but he's hoping he doesn't have to go through the same ordeal again.
"It was very trying to think that could happen right in your back yard, but I'm glad it's over with."