Brave Sheepdog Defends His Flock From 11 Coyotes

When he heard coyotes outside his home in Decatur, Georgia, one November morning, John Werwell jumped out of bed. But by the time the sheep farmer went out to inspect his flock, his dogs had arrived.

Casper, a 21-month-old Great Pyrenees, led a quick counterattack and jumped a four-foot fence. Wierwille claimed Casper killed eight of the 11 wolves on his property and chased the rest away over the next few minutes. The five sheep were not harmed.

Despite suffering life-threatening injuries in the Nov. 4 attack, Casper recovered and returned home Wednesday, according to Werwell. Since Decatrich initially posted his story, the brave sheepdog has become an online hero.

“It was chaos,” Werwell, 55, said. “It wasn’t how we hoped it would go, but we’re glad he made it work.” “He was doing his job, and I think that’s what everyone likes about him.”

Wierwille has been herding sheep for twelve years. Since retiring at the age of 50, the former pastor has founded Ewe Can Do It Naturally, a sheep farming business. He now rents out 300 sheep to his neighbors to eat and remove harmful plants such as poison ivy and oak.

Wierwille adopted six Great Pyrenees, which were developed years ago for defense as farm animals and may weigh more than 100 pounds, to protect his sheep. Wierwille discovered a Facebook post from a farmer in late September advertising Casper, named after the friendly ghost because of his white fur.

Wierwille claimed that his new dogs were frequently fighting with his sheep. However, when the 85-pound Casper arrived at a quarter-acre yard in Georgia, he rounded up the sheep and laid his head on the smallest of them. Casper rushed around the coop with Wierwille’s 30 chickens when he first met them.

“It was a way of saying, ‘I got you.’ “You’re mine now,” Wierwille replied.

When Werwell heard coyotes barking last month, he said his dogs pushed five sheep into the corner of the fence for safety. Casper, who, according to Werwell, was never violent with other animals, stood at the front of the pack, watching the 11 wolves.

Casper jumped the green fence as Wierwille began rushing toward his house to get a shoe and a broom. According to Wierwille, the dog bit the wolves’ heads off and threw their bodies over his shoulder. Wierwille isn’t sure if the coyotes attacked first or if Casper was defending his companion Daisy, who was expecting eight puppies.

According to John Heldrich, founder of Great Pyrenees Rescue in Atlanta, Great Pyrenees often scare off predators with barking and screaming. However, when threatened, Great Pyrenees can be among the most ferocious dogs, according to Heldrich.

He added: “They will not stop until they feel that their families are safe.” “They will give up their lives for their families, so to speak.”

Casper disappeared for two days after the wolf attack. Wierwille assumed the dog was dead until Casper emerged from the chicken coop on November 6th.

The dog was in poor health. His tail was cut off, his ears were torn off, and his torso was covered in wounds. Wierwille took Casper to the vet, who indicated he was in serious condition.

“The vet had some serious conversations with us about whether or not [the treatment] was worth it for him,” Werwill explained, adding: “But… [Casper] is not your average dog.” “He’s strong, he has a goal, and maybe he wants to get back to it.”

A nearby shelter, LifeLine Animal Project, raised enough money to pay for Casper’s medical expenses, which included amputating his tail and repairing serious wounds and bits of torn flesh.

Casper will need at least two months to recover before he can protect the sheep, so he’s adjusting to life as an indoor dog, according to Wierwille. When Casper met with Wierwille on Wednesday, he wagged his tail.

“We have to find out his new target,” Werwell explained. “It’s been a long road, and we have a long way to go, but we’ll get there together.” “I’m happy to have him.”