Dogs are described as the most loyal of animals. They often never leave the sides of those they love. They are brave and protect their owners. And in some cases, their courage extends past the people they love. So on one dark evening around 9 when John Wierwiller heard the frantic cries of his sheep, he ran to see what was attacking them. What he found stunned the long-time farm owner. A large pack of coyotes had cornered his livestock.

With no other weapon besides some rocks, the farm owner managed to push the coyotes into leaving. But not for very long. Some hours later, deep in the early morning, the starving coyotes returned. But this time, they got more than just an angry farmer. Two of Wierwiller’s guard dogs were there to protect the sheep, and both did so without hesitation. 

Casper, the courageous pup.

Casper and Daisy immediately got the sheep into a corner of the fence and put themselves in the front, facing off with more than 10 ravenous coyotes. While Daisy stayed with the frightened sheep, 20-month-old Great Pyrenees took on the entire group of wild animals.

Image of Casper and his sheep, courtesy of John Wierwiller on Facebook.

Wierwiller told Atlanta’s WAGA-TV that he had seen at least 5 coyotes had managed to get inside the sheep pen, while the rest were working to make their way inside the enclosure. He said his biggest fear was reserved for Casper, as the coyotes started becoming more focused on the courageous canine than anything else.

Casper valiantly dove into the center of the coyotes, and began a 30-minute-long fight that would end with 8 coyotes dead, and Casper badly injured. But Casper would continue his fight, jumping out of the pen to chase after the few remaining coyotes as they ran away. 

When the chaos was over, Wierwiller could not find his dog anywhere. But alarmingly, he did find blood and part of the dog’s tail left behind. “So the next day, we thought we could find him, we thought he must have been killed and so we were looking for him,” Wierwiller said.

Wierwiller put out a notice on Facebook, asking for help to locate Casper. Miraculously, the dog made his way home within a few days, injured but alive. “He looked terrible. He came back home and he just kind of looked at me like ‘boss, stop looking at how bad I look, just take care of me,’” Wierwiller said.

Immediately, Wierwiller contacted LifeLine, a nonprofit that makes sure injured animals are given a chance to be treated before being euthanized in the shelters. The group helped ensure that Casper had access to medical care. The pup required several surgeries to sew up back and neck wounds. His tail was also completely removed.

On his Facebook page “Ewe Can Do It Naturally,” Wierwiller recently posted an update on Casper. “We had some really great news about an hour ago – the emergency vets were able to close up Casper’s neck wound! Casper will be back to the LifeLine Clinic this afternoon for a check-up there and probably to stay for several more days.”

Image of Casper courtesy of John Wierwiller on Facebook.

LifeLine launched a GoFundMe for Casper, as well as gave reduced rates for his treatment. The group received more than their goal of $15,000, and said they planned to use the remaining funds to help other animals in need. On Facebook, Wierwiller said that Casper is coming home after 31 days at the vet clinic.

We will not and have not been asking much of him because he has so much healing to do,” the post stated.

The post went on, “Casper is not the same dog, of course. He has been through a lot and has been confined for weeks … It will be a long time before he could be back in an enclosure with sheep and seeing him this settled inside at the vet clinic makes me wonder if that will ever happen again. We will have to see. In the meantime, we are just happy he is doing so well.”

Regardless of whether Casper takes back his job as guard dog, or lives his life as a happy retired sheep herder, doesn’t matter. The bravery and fearlessness this dog showed, I believe, makes him known as one of the best dogs and the goodest of boys. Watch his heroic story below.