Pet owner fights off hungry hawk

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va - When a bird of prey picked on a little whippet named "Arrow" it was like a shot to the heart for Kara Keith.

"I think the adrenaline just kicked in and my first reaction was 'no you are not taking my puppy!,'" Keith told WAVY.com.

Sunday afternoon, Keith said she was outside with her nine week old puppy when a red tailed hawk swooped down and attacked the dog as it was walking through some bushes. Keith said she followed her own instincts and kicked its tail.

"I kicked into the bushes and kicked the hawk and then reached down and grabbed his right wing with my right hand and stepped on his right talon with my left foot."

Kara kept the hawk pinned until neighbors helped her cover it in a blanket.

"It scared me to death and it definitely scared Arrow," she said.

This bird may have messed with the wrong dog, but the right owner. Keith is a veterinary technician who was kind enough to take Arrow and the hawk to the emergency clinic. The puppy has some cuts on his face. The hawk made it out of the scuffle uninjured, but licensed wildlife rehabilitator Lisa Barlow said he's not healthy either.

She said the three year old male red tail is underweight, and despite taking aim at arrow, not hunting well.

"For whatever reason, he's not catching enough prey and a lot of times what will happen is they'll turn to something simple like a cat or a dog," said Barlow.

Keith says she understands it was just nature and is glad Barlow has stepped in to nurture the bird.

"I can't fault him," said Keith, "this is his territory as much at it is mine."

Keith advises owners of cats, puppies and even small adult dogs to take a good look around on the ground and in the trees before letting the animals outside on a leash. She also says if you put clothing on your pet, make it dark, as pinks and reds can attract the ultraviolet vision of birds of prey.