A brave Georgia farm dog viciously attacked by a pack of coyotes while defending his owner's livestock has been named American Farm Bureau’s Farm Dog of the Year: “People’s Choice Pup”.
Casper, a Great Pyrenees owned by John Wierwille of Decatur, suffered major injuries after fighting off nearly a dozen of the wild dogs protecting his owner's flock of sheep, American Farm Bureau reported.
Casper, who lives on a farm with his owner about 20 miles northeast of Atlanta, won a trophy, Purina products and a $1,000 cash prize Wierwille donated to the LifeLine Animal Project − the shelter that treated the dog after his attack, according to the organization that recognized him at its convention in Salt Lake City Friday.
“Thank you also to everyone who voted for our brave, determined and goofy livestock protector,” Wierwille posted on Facebook. “We are proud of Casper and glad he has a long life of doing what he loves ahead of him.”
“Although farmers and ranchers love what they do, it’s well known that farming can be stressful,” AFB President Zippy Duvall said in a release. “Farm dogs can help ease the burden, because they often play a dual role as both working dogs and companions to farm families.”
