PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — If we didn’t have the video, you’d never believe what happened in Pasco County.
A tiny Chihuahua named Paco challenged a full-grown coyote who intruded in his backyard.
“The coyote tried to cut him off. And that’s where they had their little squabble here,” said T.J. Jones, Paco’s owner.
As the sun set last Thursday evening, Paco noticed an unwanted visitor. But instead of running away, the tiny Chihuahua ran towards the potentially-deadly carnivore — an adult coyote.
Jones caught it all on a video security system.
“I noticed Paco wasn’t in the room. As I walk out of the room, I come around the shed here and he’s got his hair all up, he’s all upset and I come around the corner and I see a big ole coyote,” said Jones.
When Jones checked his recordings he found video of Paco taking on the coyote.
“He actually, literally, was face to face with that coyote, 5 times his size. Stood his ground. Hid under the shed until I came out,” said Jones.
Behind Jones’ house, an abandoned railroad line with plenty of brush makes a perfect place for a coyote to hide. It’s likely the wild animal visited for dinner or dessert.
“That would have been it. He’s 18. He doesn’t have a tooth in his head,” Jones said. “He’s a little sweetheart. He was my dad’s dog, I’d lose it if I lost him. But he did a good job.”
Paco learned his bravery from a pit bull he used to live with.
“He’s always had the big mouth and had the brawn behind him,” said Jones.
“They’re out there and people have a lot of small dogs…he got lucky,” Jones added. “I don’t want to see something bad happen to someone else’s dog.”
