The Downers Grove Reporter ran a story about a chihuahua that was attacked by a hawk in an Illinois suburb...
When she went out to check on the noise, she found her 2 pound, 5 ounce Chihuahua, Tico, in the talons of a large hawk. She began throwing things at the bird, starting with a bottle of oil, snow and a piece of wood. The bird would not let go of her pet.
Eventually she grabbed a snow shovel and threw it, finally scaring the bird off her pet, though it continued to perch on a fence.
Tico now suffers from a head puncture, swollen face, and lost the use of its hind legs.
You never think of hawks attacking small pets, but it's something I see down here in Southern California. I live in the inland area, where hawks are everywhere. I've seen hawks fly into my backyard to go after vermin and small birds, the birds are not all shy about it. One neighbor had a dog attacks by a hawk, but was able to get away.
The article went on to say that the owner has a Yorkshire Terrier, and that it's too big for hawks. But I mentioned another hawk-attack story a few years ago, where a Yorkshire Terrier was attacked...
http://www.doggienews.com/2004/12/hawk-attacks-yorkshire-terrier.htmI suppose this kind of thing is unheard of in Illinois, but you just can't let your guard down. I hope little Tico will recover.
Labels: Hawk Attacks
