Ken Sauder was taking a nap in his Hidden Valley home around 10:15 a.m. Friday morning. His 5-year-old doodle Bella started barking and woke him up.
She was pointing underneath Ken's bed. There, he found his 16-year-old mixed breed Sammy bleeding, with multiple cuts, following a coyote attack.
Sauder says he pulled Sammy into the shower to clean him up and assess him.
Sammy had multiple cuts along his torso, including one that punctured his lung. Sauder hurriedly tossed Sammy in the car and rushed to the nearest pet urgent care.
Sammy was 16 years old when he passed. Credit: Ken Sauber.
Shortly after Sauder brought the dog in, urgent care had bad news for him.
"They tried their best to patch him up," Sauder said. "But they called me right back, and I had to put him down. It was a hard day."
Sauder's dad adopted Sammy from the Humane Society when the dog was three years old as a companion for their rottweiler Jackie, who's the same age.
Sammy was completely deaf, which Sauder says may have prevented the dog from realizing what was about to happen.
This isn't the only time Sauder has had problems with coyotes as of late.
"A couple weeks ago, three chickens [were] killed," he said. "Prior to that, two chickens [lost]."
He's down to four chickens in his coup.
Sauder says he's had issues with coyotes for the past five to 10 years.
According to Sauder, the University of Nevada, Reno used to hunt the coyotes at night and placed a bounty on them. But that was decades ago, before parts of Sauder's neighborhood were built.
The issue has gotten worse over the past six months, and Sauder says he's shocked at how unfazed most of the coyotes are.
"They're coming in, and they're really bold," he said. "Neighbors have been watching them come in the middle of the street without any fear."
The Nevada Department of Wildlife says coyotes pose little threat to humans. Public Information Officer Jamie Roice-Gomes says statistically, champagne corks and golf balls are more dangerous to people.
The agency adds coyotes are very fearful of humans. So when you see one, they recommend waving your arms around to scare it off.
Roice-Gomes adds that you should be extra careful walking your dog if you suspect a coyote in the area, or if you're out when they're most active.
"What I end up doing when I take my dog outdoors, I make sure he's on leash and I'm with him, particularly at dusk and dawn," she said.
NDOW advises against killing coyotes. They recommend picking up any garbage, birdseed, dog food, or anything else that might attract wild animals.
As for Sammy, he's laid to rest in the back yard of the Sauder family home.
Sammy was laid to rest in Sauder's backyard. In this photo, you can see Jackie (left) and Bella. Credit: Ken Sauber.
Sauder has vowed to avenge his dog.
"My job is to stop [the coyotes]," he says, "and I'll do it."
