Woman Saves Dog From Coyote Attack with Newspaper

by
posted on November 15, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (35)

Tucker, a 12-year-old Chihuahua, has fought diabetes, a brain tumor, near-blindness and, most recently, a pair of attacking coyotes.

His owner, Dawn McCarty, was getting the newspaper when she heard Tucker yelping in her suburban Chicago backyard. She ran to investigate, and that’s when she saw Tucker’s little leg in a coyote’s jaws.

“To see my little guy in the mouth of a coyote—it was terrifying,” McCarty told the Chicago Sun-Times, adding that a second coyote was also in the yard. “They were big—bigger than a German shepherd.”

Okay, so McCarty overestimated the size of the coyotes. Give her a break. They probably looked pretty big next to a Chihuahua, and I’m sure the incident was very traumatic. The important thing is she taught those coyotes a lesson.

“I took my newspaper and kind of held it out like a sword, and I shooed it away—I beat the coyote away,” she said.

McCarty says Tucker still seems shaken up from the ordeal, but otherwise suffered only a few abrasions to his leg.

Even those dog owners located in urban areas should be mindful of the increasing presence of coyotes. As NBC Chicago notes, attacks are on the rise, and not all pets have fared as well as Tucker.

Latest

W H2026 07 Hardware W3832 TAH 1596Leadlayered
W H2026 07 Hardware W3832 TAH 1596Leadlayered

Hardware Review: Steiner ePredator LRF & ePredator 8 Riflescope

Looking for a surefire solution for long-range shooting? Look no further. Check out our review of the Steiner ePredator line.

Buckmasters’ New Record Book Reveals Hot Spots, Revamped Rankings

Deer hunters will have the rare opportunity to decipher the current state of whitetail deer when Buckmasters releases the ninth edition of its record book this fall. The 600-page tome shows where, when and by what means these world-class whitetails—25,000 in total—came to be included.

Clean 'em Up—Gun Cleaning 101 for Hunters

Ever wonder how often to clean your gun? How about what to clean it with? How about what to clean it with if you're hunting at 40-below? Phil Massaro answers all these questions and more, in this clean-freaks primer.

Hunting Show Attendance Shattering Records

Attendance records have been shattered at this year’s major hunting shows. The latest, Ducks Unlimited’s DUX (Ducks Unlimited Expo), set a new high-water mark in Memphis, Tenn. According to the Commercial Appeal, the July to Aug. 2 event attracted roughly 30,000 attendees. The 2025 event, also held in Memphis, drew a crowd that numbered nearly 20,000.

The Colonel’s Caliber in an Interesting Rifle—.35 Whelen

“Only accurate rifles are interesting.” Townsend Whelen

New for 2026: Beretta A400 Solo

Beretta USA has launched the A400 Solo, a new semi-automatic shotgun engineered for hunters who demand performance in the harshest conditions. Built on Beretta's A400 platform and packed with the company's latest advancements, the A400 Solo combines Beretta's B-Link Pro gas-operating system, Steelium barrel technology and Kick-Off Plus recoil reduction system into one dependable platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.