If dogs are man’s best friend, eagles may be our sworn enemy. Felipe Rodriguez’s 8-pound bichon frise, Zoey, was was snatched from his sister's yard on Tuesday afternoon not by some weirdo human, but an eagle. Before we continue, it's important to remember: not all eagles are dicks. Lest we forget about the one that attacked Trump back in 2015.
Anyway, “It seemed like something from the Wizard of Oz. I’m a city boy. This doesn’t happen in my world,” Rodriguez told the Associated Press. Same, dude. The dog-napping took place a mere 50 feet from his sister’s home on the banks of the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania, about 80 miles north of Philadelphia. Zoey wasn’t quite in Kansas anymore, and by that I mean the dog was found the following afternoon a whole four miles away, and better yet, alive. It’s not exactly a surprise, as eagles are more than capable of taking small animals. Laurie Goodrich, a biologist at nearby Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, explains, “It has been documented before, but not that often.” Goodrich hypothesized that the eagle went after the pup because food may be scarce as waterways freeze up.
Rodriguez, a 50-year-old healthcare executive visiting town from Chicago, assumed the worst for Zoey. His sister, Monica Newhard, was devastated. She knew eagles might go after a rabbit, like the ones that lived under her shed, but as a dog owner herself, she never thought they’d be at risk. Fortunately, Zoey lived through the heist. She was discovered by Christina Hartman, 51. The dog was worse for the wear, having been out in the cold. It’s still unclear how far the eagle carried her. Hartman returned Zoey having seen a public Facebook post for the missing pup. The itty bitty bichon is now recovering at home with her family.
