Casper the Great Pyrenees is just 20 months old, but he already takes his sheep herding job very seriously. Casper and his canine sibling Daisy live on a farm in Decatur, Georgia, where they are charged with protecting dog dad, John Wierwille’s sheep.
When a pack of 11 coyotes showed up near their home, Casper risked his own life to protect the helpless herd, taking down eight of the wild canines in the process.
The Trouble Begins
It all started around 9 p.m. on November 3rd when Wierwille noticed a few coyotes lingering in the cul-de-sac near his home. They cleared off when he yelled and tossed a few rocks in their direction, but they weren’t ready to give up on the potential feast in the backyard.
Around 2:30 a.m., Wierwille was awakened by Casper and Daisy barking. Outside, he found the dogs herding the sheep into a corner of the pen to protect them. A few of the coyotes had already infiltrated the enclosure, with several more waiting just beyond. Wierwille estimates there were about five or six predators this time.
“I wasn’t really afraid they were going to attack me or anything,” he said. “But they weren’t responding [to me], they were focused on Casper I think more than anything.”
Casper Springs to Action
With the coyotes refusing to back down, Casper made a fateful decision. He charged toward the pack, engaging in a terrifying fight as Wierwille looked on. A few of the coyotes were killed in the initial skirmish, while the others took off in different directions. But Casper wasn’t satisfied. He gave chase.
A second confrontation took place out of Wierwille’s line of sight, with several more coyotes losing their lives. In total, Casper killed eight coyotes. However, when the dust cleared, the brave Great Pyrenees was nowhere to be found.
“So the next day, we thought we could find him, we thought he must have been killed and so we were looking for him,” Wierwille said. “If he wasn’t killed, we figured he was hurt, we knew he was hurt, because we found parts of his tail and blood and other things, so we were worried about him.”
Neighbors joined in the search, discovering the coyote remains. But still, there was no sign of Casper.
The Wounded Hero Appears
Two days later, long after Wierwille wrote him off as dead, Casper reappeared in the chicken hutch. He was alive but badly injured.
Casper underwent several surgeries at Atlanta’s LifeLine Animal Project. They amputated his broken tail and stitched up deep wounds on his neck and back. According to Wierwille, the non-profit saved Casper’s life.
Casper’s career as a sheep guardian is likely over. Hopefully, he can now spend the rest of his days as a spoiled house pet.
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