Woman Rescues Stray Dog From Coyotes, Falls in Love and Ends Up Adopting

The phrase "not all heroes wear capes" may spring to mind when watching this heartwarming viral TikTok video about a woman who saved a stray dog from coyotes.

In the video, Sydney Hoffman explained how she came across the homeless canine, now named Dobby, and how she was determined to help her after not only hearing coyotes, but seeing them in the area.

Hoffman was notified by her surveillance camera that an animal was present, which made her think that it was a coyote. However, it soon became apparent that it was actually a "very malnourished puppy." Dobby's next meal was probably the least of her worries as she had neighboring coyotes to contend with.

So far, the video shared to the social media platform by @syd.hoff on November 2 has racked up 3.9 million views and over 570,000 likes.

During the clip that is captioned, "This is how little Dobby came into our lives," Hoffman's voice can be heard telling the story.

"I was determined to get her and stood outside all day trying to gain her trust. I came so so close," she said.

The next day, Dobby began circling Hoffman's house every 20 minutes, but she was unable to get close enough. On the same evening, she states she heard "coyotes howling in the distance."

The sound made her feel "sick," but fortunately, Dobby appeared at 7 a.m. the following day. But seconds later, Hoffman could hear "shrieking" and saw the dog getting chased by a "huge coyote."

While a coyote is genetically related to domesticated dogs, they are nothing like your average pet. This is because they are also related to wolves. According to Britannica, a single coyote is able to take down an adult deer and is an extremely efficient hunter.

On this occasion, Hoffman was able to scare the coyote off, but knew it wouldn't be long until Dobby's luck ran out. Fortunately on the same evening, a passing neighbor managed to rescue Dobby and return her back to Hoffman, who instantly fell in love.

The last part of the video shows the skinny dog investigating her new space, with Hoffman pointing out that she felt like it was "meant to be." So after checking with a local rescue and finding out that Dobby didn't belong to anyone, Hoffman and her partner decided to welcome the lucky dog into their home for good.

Hoffman has since discovered Dobby is 3-years-old and most likely purchased during the pandemic and then dumped nearby.

Newsweek reached out to @syd.hoff for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.

Even in cases where coyotes do not harm your dog, it is important to keep in mind that they are carriers of numerous parasites and diseases, such as mange, fleas, worms, ticks, rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis. The American Kennel Club (AKC) encourages owners to keep coyotes out of their neighborhood.

TikTok users who watched the viral video shared their reaction to it.

One user's comment with over 12,000 likes read: "Coyotes are so mean, it's a good thing she's so speedy and could outrun them."

Another user commented: "Thank you for saving her."

"Aw welcome home Dobby may your family bring you peace and happiness," wrote another.

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