Eighty-Four-Year-Old Woman Saves Dog from Coyotes

Dolores Jefferson, form Bensenville, Ill., never thought at her age she would become someone’s hero, but on Friday, July 11, 2014, she became a hero for her neighbor, Rich Parent, when she saved the his dog’s life from a pack of wild coyotes.

Roxie was saved from a pack of coyotes.

Roxie, a 26-pound Egyptian fairhound, was in her unfenced yard minding her own business, when a pack of five coyotes surrounded her and started to attack her. Jefferson’s own dog started barking and when the elderly woman went outside to check what was going on, she saw the medium size dog getting attacked by a large coyote.

Dolores Jefferson, Rich Parent and Roxie.

“All I could remember, my son told me to yell, make a lot of noise if you see [coyotes], and that’s what I did,” Jefferson told NBC Chicago. “[The coyote] was huge. He was as big as any big German shepherd I’ve ever seen. He turned around, looked at me, and Roxie got farther away from him.”

Thanks to the elderly woman’s heroic actions, the Egyptian fairhound ran to safety. The pet was later checked by a vet and her owner was told the canine suffered some bites to her face and neck, but is expected to fully recover.

Parent can’t believe his neighbor saved his dog’s life, and he is forever in debt to Mrs. Jefferson.

“Here’s this lady pushing 85 years old, and she’s my hero,” Parent said.

The next time coyotes try to enter Jeffeson’s and Parent’s yards, the old lady is prepared to scare them away. Parent gave the hero woman a bullhorn, so next time she won’t have to scream at the wild animals and put herself in any danger.

We hope the coyotes don’t come back. Hopefully they’ve learned their lessons. Don’t mess with Roxie or Mrs. Jefferson!