Awwww…she is so adorable. 
Thank goodness you were able to get her to the vet in time. 
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Luckily so far I’ve not had to use either.
The whistle I own is activated by a button, no need to blow it. It’s done on purpose so it can be used even when out of breath hiking up a mountain. 
It makes a very piercing noise
The bear spray is tricky, it’s supposed to be used aiming at the face of the animal in very close proximity. Gulp!
Another detail I’d like to add is that when out and about you can rely a lot on the dog’s behaviour: if it starts whining, seems alert and nervous, doesn’t want to continue on the path it’s probably a sign that it’s perceiving danger nearby. My puppy behaved like that the day after the bear’s visit, she probably still smelled it on the objects it had touched and broken (I’m told that bears smell like pigs), or she clearly remembered it.
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Why we carry a flashlight at night in case of wildlife when walking in our area: If you sweep the flashlight around toward woods or the dark and there are animals, you’ll usually see their eyes reflect the light. That helps you be aware and avoid them, and it helps announce your presence so they can run away.
They often have good senses of smell, but sometimes the wind isn’t blowing in their direction, so they might not sense you. Plus, they might be eating or such and be distracted. And light can reach far, so you can announce yourself without getting too close.
For us, at our East Coast home, foxes have been easiest to spot at night. We also wanted to avoid stepping on fox scat, which can be particularly smelly. At our West Coast home, coyotes are seen in broad daylight, loping on sidewalks and streets at times.
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Oh, my…close proximity? People would definitely need to ensure that they are aiming the bear spray in the right direction—towards the bear and not themselves. And if walking a dog, a person needs to make sure that the dog does not get sprayed.
That is a great tip about a dog’s behavior. With their keen sense of smell, hearing, and body language, dogs can assess their surroundings and alert their humans to potential dangers.
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BTW, some wildlife can be drawn by not only food left outdoors for pets, they also can be lured by the smell of pet poo. For instance, we keep a metal trash can with a fitted lid and toss our dog’s poo bags in there for trash day, but we make sure the lid is tightly on. Otherwise, we might find the bags torn and/or scattered by wildlife. And you also want to avoid attracting wildlife to poo bags, because you don’t want to run into them say if you’re taking out the trash at night.
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All this talk of bears, snakes and coyotes makes me very glad that the wildlife here in the Uk isn’t actually very wild in the dangerous sense - the wildest I see at home is mostly hedgehogs, and on my recent sits has been hares and deer, all of which which I’ve been delighted to encounter.
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Not a big deal in the U.S. Most people will never see a bear beyond at a zoo, for instance.
Rarely are wildlife encounters dangerous, especially when you consider how big our population is vs. the frequency of attacks or such. And often, when people are attacked, it’s because they were doing something stupid. Like some idiots will risk their lives for a selfie.
People also endanger wildlife by feeding them or leaving food out carelessly, despite warnings. Like bears can become accustomed to humans and then wander into various settings because they’ve learned that food is available. And sometimes, they end up being put to sleep because they grow too comfortable among people.
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The article you shared about the 9 people who were attacked by a fox also probably thought that rare wildlife attacks would not occur. Yet, they were attacked by a fox that had rabies.
It is when people become complacent and when people say “Oh, that would never happen to me” that things can happen to them.
Yet, unexpected things happen all the time. Yes, people do stupid things and are careless, but even people who are just minding their own business (like those 9 people) can be attacked unexpectedly by wildlife.
It’s fine to be aware and take precautions, but not blow things out of proportion. That fox for instance had rabies, which can scramble a living being’s brains and make them act out of norms.
When we see foxes in our area, we don’t panic. At one home we owned, we’d see them sunning themselves near our fence line, which backed to woods. They were lovely and never bothered us. Once, one did squeeze through the fence, tempted by ripe berries growing. When we let our dog into the yard, not knowing the fox was enjoying itself, our dog gave chase and the fox ran off. They typically don’t want trouble with humans.
Yes, I mentioned earlier that I would see foxes while walking my dog and they would run away and go hide in their holes. They show fear.
Bears, coyotes, and bobcats, and other wildlife that show no fear and are not afraid to approach people and pets. They are more prevalent in some parts in the world than others.
So of course it’s important to remain careful and vigilant.
@DianeS does not have to worry about those types of wildlife.
It’s not about going overboard. It is about being responsible and keeping oneself and pets safe.
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Yup. I did one woodsy sit where there were eagles and my hosts asked me to feed squirrels, birds and other critters every morning. They told me to toss the nuts and seeds near the balcony overhangs, so the critters wouldn’t get picked off by eagles or other large predatory birds. They weren’t pets, but my hosts tried to keep them safe, too.
Well, at least the HO tried.
I have encountered all with my own dog. Coyotes, never had a problem until my dog got old. Bears are an issue if with cubs. You want to avoid that. I wouldn’t feed – since I was feeding deer, then the bears showed up. And coyotes-- small in a pack or coywolves, that tend to be alone or in pairs. They are larger. If the dog is small, you have to be careful. If the dog is larger, not so much.
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yes. Because they are used to protecting the cubs from coyotes and wolves etc. I once went to some agricultural fair and they had this 3000 lb bull (beef cattle) behind a tiny fence, but they can be very dangerous. I had my dog (service) on a leash and when I got near it, the bull tensed up. He easily could have charged. I quickly went the other way.
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It is good to be informed of what large local wildlife might be around. We are in France at the moment, and this thread prompted me to look up what predators there are in France.
I have learned that there are lynx, wolves and a few bears, but they are limited to mountain regions. We are in the North West so no need for concern. There is also a poisonous snake. I knew there were wild boar, and am familiar wuth them as there are many in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire UK, quite close to where we live.
Wild boar are protective of their young, snd can attack dogs if they feel threatened. A friend’s dog very unwisely (and unexpectedly) approached a wild boar and was gored and tossed by the boar. Luckily, the wound missed any major blood vessels, and healed well. Had it been just slightly to the side, it would have been much more serious. In hindsight, the dog may have had early stage dementia, or mistaken the boar for a pig. She was used to spending time on a farm.
Here in France. I thinkk the dog and one of the cats may be the apex predators locally!
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I see kangaroos and emus regularly while walking my dogs.
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Fond memories of my stay in Australia! I just loved seeing kangaroos in the wild. Also, feeding them in Lone pine in Brisbane was most enjoyable!
You are lucky to have such are variety of marsupials. Not so much the snakes and the salties!
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I lived in Australia for 2.5 years. Was out bushwalking ( = hiking) every weekend. Never saw a dangerous spider; never heard of any friends or colleagues who had an encounter with a large spider.
Occasionally there’s the issue of a small venomous one, but that’s why while gardening you should wear gardening gloves. And just make sure to have screens on your doors/windows if leaving them open. Other than that…nothing really to worry about re spiders. You’re much more likely to see a snake every once in a while (in the bush). Not much too worry about that either by the way! Just carry a hiking stick & wear gaiters, and you’re fine
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I’m encountering these on a sit now, because the home abuts a woodsy area. I can see some out the windows. Luckily, my hosts warned me about avoiding them and there’s a lovely screened-in porch where I can hang out and enjoy the outdoors, without insects.
These spiders can make scary-looking webs, like Halloween decorations, except they’re real.
On my last sit, I saw storks, cranes and flamingos in Florida.