4# Yorkie survives Hawk Attack

[mimimomo]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pets/pet...s/201501170005


By Linda Wilson Fuoco / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A very large hawk swooped down, dug its talons into a tiny Yorkshire terrier and lifted the dog 15 feet into the air, right in front of its owner, Lori Timczyk, who screamed and screamed. Then it dropped the 4-pound dog on the rear deck of the Timczyk home in Green Tree.

Rocky, 7, almost bled to death but was saved by the quick thinking — and driving — of his family, the navigational help of Siri, the know-it-all voice on an Apple mobile phone, and really good treatment at an emergency veterinary clinic.

Around 9 a.m. Jan. 4, Rocky was in his front yard, taking “his morning constitutional.” Just as Mrs. Timczyk opened the front door to call Rocky inside, the hawk grabbed the dog and carried him away.

Albert Timczyk, a corporate pilot who had been packing for an out-of-town trip, came running when he heard his wife screaming. The couple think their screams made the hawk drop their dog.

“There was blood everywhere. It was horrendous,” Mrs. Timczyk said.

Rocky wasn’t crying or making any noise. He was conscious but “seemed to be in shock.”

“If I hadn’t opened the door exactly when I did,” Rocky would have been gone, Mrs. Timczyk said.

The hawk’s talons had punctured an artery. Mr. Timczyk applied pressure, trying to stop the bleeding. His wife ran for a first-aid kit and her iPhone, and they screamed to wake up Jessica, their 15-year-old daughter.

They ran to the car, Mr. Timczyk in boxer underwear, his wife without shoes and their daughter in pajamas. Jessica asked Siri for the closest emergency veterinary clinic, and Siri gave them VCA Castle Shannon Animal Hospital. Jessica was the navigator, giving her parents driving directions.

Castle Shannon veterinarian Jennifer Lopez said they got there just in time. Rocky’s gums were white, which can indicate shock or internal bleeding. He had almost “bled out,” she said.

“They used pressure bandages, but they had a hard time stopping the bleeding,” Mrs. Timczyk said. There were deep puncture wounds on Rocky’s chest, upper back and a leg, and there were scrapes on his forehead.

Rocky was able to come home at 9 p.m. that evening, but three days later he stopped eating and drinking and had to spend another night at the Castle Shannon hospital. He was given fluids so he wouldn’t dehydrate and was monitored for infections and liver damage. Rocky is now eating, drinking and healing. The bruising is subsiding, and at a vet visit Tuesday his liver readings were approaching the normal range.

“I’m not sure I can describe adequately the trauma Lori, Jessica and I went through,” Mr. Timczyk said in an email. “We almost lost a member of our family.”

“We don’t want this to ever happen to any pet,” said Mrs. Timczyk, adding that Rocky will never again be outside without a family member.

Hospital staff suggested the family share their story through the media; a spokesman said hospital staff have never seen a family pet mauled by a hawk before.

Rocky does not appear to be traumatized and is cheerfully going out into the yard where the attack occurred.

“He’s back to normal,” Mrs. Timczyk said.

The attack was highly unusual, and the bird was undoubtedly a red-tailed hawk, according to spokesmen at the National Aviary on the North Side and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. That’s the largest hawk that lives and flies in close proximity to houses and people, they said. They have never heard of a wild hawk carrying off a small pet.

“Four pounds would be the absolute upper limit” of what a large red-tailed hawk could carry, said Bob Mulvihill, ornithologist at the National Aviary. “That was an ambitious attack, and I don’t think the hawk will do it again.”

Red-tailed hawks generally eat mice, moles, voles, small rabbits and, in warm months, a snake or two. They steer clear of people, although they might exhibit threatening behavior in the spring if people come close to their nests, Mr. Mulvihill said.

The screams of Rocky’s owners may have made the hawk drop the dog, or it might have been because the dog was too heavy, he said.

Rocky got another break: Red-tailed hawks usually kill their prey on the ground and then carry them away, Mr. Mulvihill said. Mrs. Timczyk’s screams might have prevented the kill.

Tom Fazi, information and education supervisor for the Game Commission’s southwest region, said red-tailed hawks are plentiful thanks to a decades-long ban on many pesticides and because the birds have “protected” status, meaning no one’s allowed to shoot them.

Coyotes pose a bigger threat to small pets, and coyotes are “everywhere,” Mr. Fazi said, including the city and densely populated suburbs. His office has not received reports of coyotes killing pets, although they get occasional reports of coyotes killing livestock, generally small calves and lambs.

[mimimomo]

Pets: The animals in our lives.

[yorkiemini]

My little 3 lb 10 oz Yorkie survived a hawk attack a couple years ago. There is a thread somewhere here on Yorkie talk about it.

All of the wild life experts kept saying that those Hawks would never go for anything they could not carry and that she was too big (that is why I got a citation for a fine of $10,000brcause they were convinced that I had killed the hawk). I now know so much more

Hawks will try to disable or kill their pray with their talons an then take the prey to their young or some place else to eat. However, there are some who will attack and then eat the preynright then a no there If the environment is safe, and these will go larger prey. They do, however, prefer easier prey, but when they are hungry they will go anything.

But they do keep saying,mother won't go for the 6 or 7 pound dog -- then I keep hearing stories like this! Bottom line is -- we have to protect our babies all the time!

My Little Cali killed the hawk, and I could not begin to describe the fight for her life she went through. (and what it took for me to prove I did not kill the hawk! Because a minimum of 30 days in jail went with that fine!)

I live n a suburban area and see Hawks all the time. Unfortunately my nice fenced yard is no longer a place my baby can out to at her leisure. She does not get to go out without me!!!!!!! But that hawk is protected and gets free range!

Don't telll anyone you heard it here-- but I told my attorney that if any hawk comes after my baby again, I will kill it and burying to China and no one will ever know!! So keep that in mind. Unfortunately and fortunately, too many people in my neighborhood saw the hawk attack and Cali fight so it could not be kept a secret -- and a lady in the neighborhood after hearing about Cali called the Fish and Wildlife folks and complained that her kitten went missing and now she thinks a hawk got them, so put more interest on my neighborhood at the time.

The Hawks will start nesting soon and raising the young and that is the most dangerous times for our little ones. So stay vigilant! And, beware of all those stories that our babies are too big for the hawks to be interested in them- I have watched hawks and owls at a local park take rabbits bigger than my little girl!

It took an autopsy by the vets to prove that Cali broke the Hawks neck (which is how the Yorkies killed their prey in the wool mills) during their fight for the government to finally decide I did not kill the hawk.

Of course, now I have a plan and the tools to kill a hawk--Hehehehe!

Don't underestimate those Hawks- they are very efficient and experienced at what they do!

[BorderKelpie]

Just a head's-up, just because you are standing there don't plan on that deterring the hawk from grabbing your little ones. My DD and I were outside with my chickens, close enough to pet them, when a redtail swooped down and grabbed one - right between two humans.

My little dogs are now stuck in a covered, fenced-in area to potty and even then, I have seen a young hawk sitting on the gate less than 10 feet from where I was sitting - (in the covered run!) just staring at my little dogs.

[Lisa and Pic]

Jay, I always think about Cali, when hawk attacks are brought into conversation. She is one brave little girl.

I do think that our pups have a much better chance if we are outside with them. That is part of the reason why Cali is here because you were able to run right to her.

Sometimes I wonder if netting over an area of a backyard would help. It appears to keep birds out of pools in Florida. Just thinking outloud...

[BorderKelpie]

I have netting over my chicken and duck pens because of the hawks. It does help.

[joyce evans]

You are so right! Hawks are not scared of people at all. I saved a dove once and went to let it go and a hawk swooped down and grabbed it right in front of me. Part of the reason that I rarely take Hannah outdoors. Not to mention the coyotes. I also saw a hawk on our telephone pole with a live fish it must have gotten out of our pond. I wouldn't want to shoot them but don't threaten my babies! I am glad your Cali got that one! I live in the big middle of a wildlife refuge so I'll bet they put monitors on some of them around here.

[yorkiemini]

Originally Posted by Lisa and Pic

Jay, I always think about Cali, when hawk attacks are brought into conversation. She is one brave little girl.

I do think that our pups have a much better chance if we are outside with them. That is part of the reason why Cali is here because you were able to run right to her.

Sometimes I wonder if netting over an area of a backyard would help. It appears to keep birds out of pools in Florida. Just thinking outloud...

k

You are right Lisa - lots of folks build things almost like cabana rooms to,protect their little ones. Some build runs with wire over the top. Makes sense.

I still think we were really really lucky!

[Lilah Charm]

I hear these stories and because of that (and many other things) ms lilah has never had the roam of our property but oh my goodness- to read the article and then jay- I did not know that about Cali, what a horrifying experience and what a major bad a$$ Cali is!

We also have kept livestock on our property and have enough battles with raccoons, coyotes and mountain cats, hawks are a whole mother trouble becausse they will come in the middle of the day when you don't expect them and as an air strike which we are usually not prepared for. We have lost a few chickens to hawks and our poultry pen is now topped with bird netting.

As it stands, lilah is a leash outside gal but I have often dreampt of having a secure off leash area for her on our property. You can bet when that's built that there will be a top on it! Thanks for sharing this story jenny

[manina]

Wow ! So sad , but glad everything turn out ok ... Yes I always walk and stay with my furbabies while theyre out .... So many stories of small pet being attacked ... My poor friend has lost almost all her chickens and chicks to these hawks....

[manina]

So happy Cali kick butt , I would help my babies with that flight too ... And yes U need the bird to prove it was kill ... he he
You go Cali !!!!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

My little 3 lb 10 oz Yorkie survived a hawk attack a couple years ago. There is a thread somewhere here on Yorkie talk about it.

All of the wild life experts kept saying that those Hawks would never go for anything they could not carry and that she was too big (that is why I got a citation for a fine of $10,000brcause they were convinced that I had killed the hawk). I now know so much more

Hawks will try to disable or kill their pray with their talons an then take the prey to their young or some place else to eat. However, there are some who will attack and then eat the preynright then a no there If the environment is safe, and these will go larger prey. They do, however, prefer easier prey, but when they are hungry they will go anything.

But they do keep saying,mother won't go for the 6 or 7 pound dog -- then I keep hearing stories like this! Bottom line is -- we have to protect our babies all the time!

My Little Cali killed the hawk, and I could not begin to describe the fight for her life she went through. (and what it took for me to prove I did not kill the hawk! Because a minimum of 30 days in jail went with that fine!)

I live n a suburban area and see Hawks all the time. Unfortunately my nice fenced yard is no longer a place my baby can out to at her leisure. She does not get to go out without me!!!!!!! But that hawk is protected and gets free range!

Don't telll anyone you heard it here-- but I told my attorney that if any hawk comes after my baby again, I will kill it and burying to China and no one will ever know!! So keep that in mind. Unfortunately and fortunately, too many people in my neighborhood saw the hawk attack and Cali fight so it could not be kept a secret -- and a lady in the neighborhood after hearing about Cali called the Fish and Wildlife folks and complained that her kitten went missing and now she thinks a hawk got them, so put more interest on my neighborhood at the time.

The Hawks will start nesting soon and raising the young and that is the most dangerous times for our little ones. So stay vigilant! And, beware of all those stories that our babies are too big for the hawks to be interested in them- I have watched hawks and owls at a local park take rabbits bigger than my little girl!

It took an autopsy by the vets to prove that Cali broke the Hawks neck (which is how the Yorkies killed their prey in the wool mills) during their fight for the government to finally decide I did not kill the hawk.

Of course, now I have a plan and the tools to kill a hawk--Hehehehe!

Don't underestimate those Hawks- they are very efficient and experienced at what they do!

A hawk attacked and nearly killed our neighbor's 9 pound Yorkie, same size as my boys. After seeing Jack's drainage tubes and scars, my dad started taking me seriously about the hawk and owl threat.

Just this week, I let Max on the deck, which we have enclosed with xpens, and 2 red shoulder hawks swooped into our back yard. I usually stay out on the deck with the doggies, but I had stepped right inside the door to watch.

Cali is awesome and fearless.

I'm also glad the little Yorkie in this story survived his terrifying ordeal.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Lisa and Pic

Jay, I always think about Cali, when hawk attacks are brought into conversation. She is one brave little girl.

I do think that our pups have a much better chance if we are outside with them. That is part of the reason why Cali is here because you were able to run right to her.

Sometimes I wonder if netting over an area of a backyard would help. It appears to keep birds out of pools in Florida. Just thinking outloud...

This is my dream for a doggy run -- a Florida style pool enclosure -- to protect from coyotes too.

There is a Texas member who had some kind of rope grid installed using the fencing around her yard. I think it is only a 6 foot fence, so not a lot of head clearance for tall people.

[yorkiemini]

I have heard of people running fishing line from their 6' fences. And putting red streamers on them. Don't know how that would work - but my 6'6" husband would not have gone for that probably.

Screen over a nice sized run would work.

[AZME]

It is really scary. You have to keep your eyes open constantly. We were house hunting and I decided to walk to a house that is only about a 15 minute walk. I was going to take my puppy Finn but decided at the last minute not to. When I got to the house I saw a huge hawk in the sky. It was hunting something in someone's back yard. It was HUGE! I love the house, we made an offer but it hasn't been on the market long so we are unsure whether or not they will take it but if they do. I am having someone coming to build an enclosed run for my little man to be able to go outside in safety!