[laurenr]

Originally Posted by Suzy

We've all talked about the possibility of a hawk or an owl grabbing up one of our furbabies from the backyard if outside alone...but does anyone know if it's actually happened?

We have a fairly large yard with a 5' fence, and we live in a neighborhood with LOTS of homes, people, kids, cars, etc.--but it was farmland just a few years ago. I worry that we might still have birds of prey around, and I freak out on my husband when he leaves the dogs outside alone-even for a minute! He thinks I'm crazy, and says that no hawks or owls will come in our area, it's too populated, and that I'm paranoid for thinking so. I think the danger is real, and that no protection is too much for my furgirls-I love them so much, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to them.

I also live in a very populated area in Orange County, California. Here is a copy of what I wrote in another thread"
"It is very hard for me to talk about this, but here goes. Last year, I nursed my very sick, most beloved little male Yorkie, Tigger. After weeks of nursing him, holding him, comforting him and staying with him constantly, he was TAKEN BY A HAWK on the night that I left him for just a couple of hours. He weighed just over 4 lbs, and this horrible creature lifted him like he weighed nothing. It broke my heart, totally shattered me.... I cried for weeks, not days, imagining the terror my little defenseless baby must have felt during the last seconds of his life. If he was going to die, I wanted him to go feeling safe, loved in the comfort of his Mommys arms.
I should say that my dogs are ALWAYS inside, they are NEVER let out alone into my garden. But, there is a small enclosed dog run on the side of my house, which they access through a small doggie door. I thought it was safe, because it was so hidden, so sheltered, and yet still that hawk dove down and took my little Tigger. We found his little T-shirt the next day, with that monster bird perched just feet away on my fountain!!!!
If you think there is even the SMALLEST RISK of a hawk taking your animal, please, please, please take whatever precautions you have to. I have since covered the entire length of my dog run.
I am crying still as I am typing this post, with that image of my precious boy seared into my brain. Do NOT let this happen to any of your babies.... they are so innocent, so defenseless and can do nothing to protect themselves; they rely totally on us for that. "

Please show this to your husband and tell him you are NOT crazy, that the concern about birds of prey stalking ANY small animal is very real, with consequences too horrendous for you and your little fur babies to go through. My hubbie, unfortunately also pooh-poohed the idea of a hawk ever getting into our secluded dog run. The thread is located here:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...76#post1076276