Dog Likely Attacked By Hawk In Aberdeen, Vet Says

ABERDEEN, NJ — A veterinary office in Englishtown said they strongly suspect a dog they treated this week was attacked in its Aberdeen backyard by a hawk. This comes the same week Aberdeen Township posted a Facebook message, warning residents to be alert about overly-aggressive hawks this spring.

The dog, an adult Samoyed, was treated at Country Animal Clinic of Englishtown. Patch called the vet clinic for more information, but they said they did not want to release more details than what they posted on Facebook, in the interest of protecting the privacy of dog's owners.

But the office manager did say the fully-grown, adult Samoyed was brought in with piercings and puncture wounds consistent with being grabbed by a hawk, bald eagle or other bird of prey. She said the dog was alone in his backyard in Aberdeen when it happened, and his owners rushed him to Country Animal Clinic when they found him. Fortunately, the dog survived.

The office manager also said she heard of a similar incident in Middletown this past week, as well, where a dog was attacked by a bird of prey in a backyard. A Middletown police spokesman said nobody reported that to police, but he has heard people talking about it, too.

Hawks, bald eagles and osprey have been known to pick up puppies, squirrels, kittens and other small animals. Farmers have long known to protect livestock, such as chickens, from bald eagles. Even humans have been severely injured by dive-bombing birds of prey.

"(He) was discovered badly injured in his own Aberdeen backyard. His injuries were consistent with the puncture wounds made by the talons and grip of a hawk," the vet's office wrote. "After many stitches, this lucky dog was able to go home with his family and will be okay (perhaps because his heavier weight made him more difficult to be carried off.)"

A fully-grown adult Samoyed weighs about 50 pounds.

Has your pet been attacked by a bird this spring? Email carly.baldwin@patch.com if you would like to talk about it.

Photo: A red-tailed hawk wings through the hazy sky. Credit: Shutterstock