Great Pyrenees livestock dog Casper is still recovering after a violent encounter with a pack of coyotes nearly a month ago in Georgia.
This very good boy isn't out of the woods just yet, but his owner says he's a survivor.
“I can’t even explain how good it is to see him right now, because I felt like there was no way he was going to live when I saw him," said John Weirville.
John Weirville is the owner of Ewe Can Do it Naturally, a landscaping business that uses sheep, and sometimes goats to clear out invasive plant species.
He says that two-year-old Casper was standing guard over his flock of sheep when about ten coyotes got too close for comfort.
"I could see the coyotes running around in this area, and when I got over this way, Casper took off," Weirville said.
Casper managed to kill eight of the coyotes, saving the sheep in his care, but was severely injured in the process.
"Probably the worst I've seen," said Katrina Coleman, a vet tech at Lifeline Animal Project.
He had gaping wounds in his neck and side, and his tail had to be docked. For a few days, veterinarians at Lifeline say they were worried recovery wouldn't be an option.
"How bad are these wounds and if it's something that can be fixed, or if it's something that is beyond fixing, you know?" said Coleman. "That is what makes the quality of life an issue."
The healing process will likely take several more months. However, Weirville says that on Nov. 28, vets were able to close up the wound on Casper's neck.
"This is really great because it is so much easier to control infection when the wound is not so open, and if all goes well, he will need no skin grafts in that area," a post on the Ewe Can Do it Naturally Facebook page reads. "It really is a remarkable bit of news and we are celebrating."
The team at Lifeline is even donating their care, which would have cost Weirville upwards of $15,000.
Weirville was asked where he sees Casper in another month or so.
"A month later, I think he'll probably be out here with sheep again," he said.
Until then, it's a lot of love and attention, and extra belly rubs.