When he heard coyotes outside his Decatur, Ga., house one November morning, John Wierwille jumped out of bed. But by the time the sheep farmer got outside to check on his flock, his sheepdogs had arrived.
Casper, a Great Pyrenees 21-month-old, quickly led a counterattack and hopped a four-foot fence. Wierwille claimed Casper killed eight of the 11 coyotes on his property and chased the rest away over the following few minutes. The five sheep were not hurt.
Despite receiving life-threatening injuries in the Nov. 4 attack, Casper has recovered and returned home on Wednesday, according to Wierwille. Since his story was initially reported by Decaturish, the fearless sheepdog has become as a hero throughout the internet.
“It was chaos,” said Wierwille, 55. “It wasn’t how we had hoped things would turn out, but we’re glad he made it.” He was doing his job, and I believe that is what everyone admires about him.”
Wierwille has been herding sheep for a dozen years. Since retiring at the age of 50, the former pastor has founded Ewe Can Do It Naturally, a shepherding company. He now leases 300 sheep to neighbours to eat and clear harmful vegetation like poison ivy and oak.
Wierwille adopted six Great Pyrenees, which were developed years ago to defend farm animals and may weigh more than 100 pounds, to protect his sheep. Wierwille spotted a Facebook post from a farmer in late September advertising Casper, who was named after the friendly ghost for his white fur.
Wierwille claimed that his new dogs frequently fought with his sheep. However, when the 85-pound Casper arrived to the quarter-acre yard in Georgia, he gathered the sheep and placed his head on the tiniest one. Casper rushed around the coop with Wierwille’s 30 hens when he first met them.
“It was a way of saying, ‘I got you.'” ‘You’re mine now,’ replied Wierwille.
When Wierwille heard the coyotes yipping last month, he said his dogs hustled five sheep into a fence corner for safety. Casper, who, according to Wierwille, had never been violent to other animals, stood at the front of the pack, watching the 11 coyotes.
Casper jumped the green fence as Wierwille began rushing back towards his house to get boots and a broom. According to Wierwille, the dog bit the coyotes’ heads and flung their bodies over his shoulder. Wierwille is unsure whether the coyotes attacked first or if Casper was defending his companion, Daisy, who was expecting eight puppies.
According to John Heldrich, founder of Great Pyrenees Rescue of Atlanta, Great Pyrenees frequently scare off predators by barking and screaming. However, when threatened, Great Pyrenees can be among the most vicious dogs, according to Heldrich.
“They won’t stop until they feel that their family’s safe,” he said. “They will give up their lives for their family, so to speak.”
Casper had gone missing for two days following the coyote attack. Wierwille assumed the dog had dead until Casper emerged from the chicken coop on November 6th.
The dog was in poor health. His tail had been cut off, his ears had been ripped, and his torso was covered in wounds. Wierwille took Casper to the vet, who indicated he was in severe condition.
“The vet had some pretty serious conversations with us about whether or not [treatment] was worth it for him,” Wierwille explained, adding, “But… [Casper’s] not your average dog.” He’s tough, he has a purpose, and he probably wants to return to it.”
A nearby shelter, LifeLine Animal Project, gathered enough money to pay Casper’s medical expenses, which included amputating his tail and repairing serious puncture wounds and sections of ripped flesh.
Casper will need at least two months to recover before he can protect the sheep, so he’s adjusting to life as an indoor dog, according to Wierwille. When Casper was reunited with Wierwille on Wednesday, he wagged his stump of a tail.
“We have to figure out what his new purpose will be,” Wierwille explained. “It’s been a long road, and there’s a long road ahead of us, but we’ll get there together.” I’m delighted to have him.”
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