What if Those Missing Dog Posts in Amarillo Had a More Sinister Reason?

This all starts, as most good rabbit holes do, with a story from a friend of a friend. Their story left me wondering if small dogs in our area are really at risk of being snatched by hawks.

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It's Raining Chihuahuas

The story, as it was relayed to me, started with a guy working on his motorbike in his driveway. His neighbor's chihuahua was in the backyard barking incessantly, when all of a sudden the barking went from the dog just barking, to something driven by terror.

Then silence.

The next thing he heard was a whimper and then a thud. He looked over and right there on his driveway was a dazed and confused hawk. The hawk glared at him, shook its head and flew off. He checked on the chihuahua, who was shaking in pure terror but alive and unharmed. Knocking on his neighbor's door, he informed them of their little pooch's narrow miss and they agreed that they'd better keep her inside before she "ended up like her predecessors."

A String Of Missing Tiny Dogs

According to the person telling me this tale, there had been a string of missing small dogs in that area. Dots were connected and he set out warning the neighborhood of a bird in the area with an appetite for tiny dogs.

But is that really what happened? Do hawks really go after chihuahuas?

Hawks Attacking Small Dogs Are Rare, But It Does Happen

I scoured the Internet looking for answers. It didn't take long, but I found examples of this very thing happening. It's even happened on a few occasions in Texas.

So the bad news is that, yes, it can happen. The good news is that it isn't that common. Especially when it comes to your average, run-of-the-mill hawk picking up your dog and flying away.

If you're worried about a hawk swooping down on your fur-baby, the best thing to do is keep them inside. When they do go outside, be sure to keep an eye on them.