Macy, a six-year-old Yorkie mix, saved her 10-year-old owner’s life as they were chased by a coyote while out for a walk in Scarborough, Ontario last week.
The small but mighty pup is being called a hero for jumping in front of the coyote and defending Lily Kwan from a possibly fatal attack. The dog had to be taken to an emergency animal hospital, but survived with 40 stitches and other serious injuries to her body and leg.
Dorothy Kwan, the girl’s mother, told the Toronto Star she was at work when she got a call from neighbours about the incident.
“I literally dropped everything and sped home. My poor dog was in the house with my neighbour and Lily, my dad sitting in the driveway, just waiting for Lily to come out of the house to go to gymnastics,” Kwan said
Kwan’s neighbour’s security camera footage shows a big coyote taking the tiny dog by the neck while the girl screams for help. High-pitched yelps can be heard in the background as Macy tries to escape the coyote’s bite and doesn’t stop barking at it until it’s gone.
“This is a member of our family. To watch a video in which your dog fights off a coyote because she is trying to save her little human’s life is just unbelievable,” said Kwan.
Kwan, a solo mother of two children, started a GoFundMe page for the hero fur baby. She also shared an image of Macy’s veterinary bill, which could go up to nearly $6,800.
Several supporters have also sent messages of support to the family.
“Whose a good girl? Whose the bravest pup-pup? What a sweet girl. We are all so happy to see she is home recovering nicely with her humans. Lily, I am so glad she was so fierce and determined to save you. What a good dog,” one commenter wrote.
Macy underwent surgery for serious injuries to her body and leg, and returned home Friday evening after staying under hospital care for 24 hours. Kwan said Macy’s fighting spirit saved her life. “It’s funny because my dog is very protective. We actually nicknamed her crazy Macy or killer Macy because she hates everyone,” she told the Star.
“She received extensive injuries to her body and leg. She is undergoing surgery for her wounds at the emergency animal hospital. My heart is breaking for both my little one and our dog whom we rescued 5 years ago. I’m a single mom of two and my children and our dog mean everything to me,” stated Kwan’s GoFundMe page.
As of today, over $35,000 has been raised for Macy’s treatment, with hundreds of supporters wishing Macy a speedy recovery while sharing memories and photos of their furry family members.
Residents of the Scarborough neighbourhood have voiced concerns about increased coyote sighting in recent days.
“We call [the city] and they say, ‘Well, they are not aggressive; somebody is feeding it,’” resident Marie O’Brien told Global News.
“No, we are all under danger, the animal is stalking us and we are not safe.”
The City of Toronto’s website says coyotes do not generally pose a threat to humans but warns pet parents to always supervise cats and small dogs when outside. The city also warns to not approach a coyote or to run, but to make loud noises to scare it away.
