I don't think you're paranoid. I've had this same concern when we've been out in the countryside - particularly with owls. I have read of one case - I have no other information on it though - where a very small Yorkie was taken by either a large hawk or eagle (I can't remember specifically, sorry) from the outside terrace of her owner's Manhattan apartment and found intact but dead a few blocks away. I've not heard anything else though and I think it's important to keep in mind that while it's theoretically possible, I should think it's rare enough to be considered impossible. You would need a particularly small dog and a very large raptor and these sorts of predators don't tend to go for animals outside of their usual hunting parameters. If you are very worried about it though (and again, I think it's better to be worried, than sorry), you could always set up some overhead fencing in the form of chicken wire above say a quarter of the yard with mirrors and bells on it or string twine in a haphazard fashion from fence to fence and again attach bells and ribbons and other floaty bits to it. I've also heard that attaching a mockup of a much larger bird of prey to a fence is also a very good deterrent. |