A South Carolina man sprang into action when he realized his dog was about to be attacked by a coyote, putting himself at risk to save his pup's life.
Timothy Snipe of Mount Pleasant was walking his dog Roxie when the pup took a turn toward the woods and started barking, with neither Snipe or the dog realizing the danger lurking in the tree line, according to a report from WCBD.
"She started barking, and I was like what is she barking at," Snipe told the outlet.
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However, Snipe soon spotted a coyote seemingly ready to attack the small dog, something Roxie seemed unaware of at the moment. Soon, the dog took off after the coyote.
"Instead of running towards me, she ran towards the coyote," Snipe said.
What unfolded from there was caught by a nearby Ring doorbell camera, with Snipe racing into action to save his small companion.
"The coyote jumped on me and bit me on my leg, and I wrestled it down, I choked him out," Snipe said.
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Snipe said he was able to get control of the animal by picking it up by the tail and putting it in a dumpster until help could arrive.
Meanwhile, he believes his dog would not have made it if not for his quick action.
"I knew I could’ve been alright, even if I would’ve gotten bit and gotten rabies or something, but if she had gotten bit, it was over," Snipe said.
Snipe would later get medical treatment, receiving nine rabies shots in return for his bite in the leg. Nevertheless, the dog owner is feeling good and said he will put a coyote-proof vest on Roxie before going outside in the future.
Despite the bites, Snipe said he would do the same thing over again to protect his dog.
"Once you get a pet, they’re automatically a part of the family and this is my girl, this is our girl," Snipe said.
