And thousands of strangers who had followed his recovery had been given an opportunity to vote for him.
More than 100,000 votes were cast in the contest.
Casper won.
Not because he was the most perfectly trained dog.
Not because he was the prettiest.
And certainly not because his life had been easy.
People responded to what his story represented: loyalty, determination and the ancient relationship between humans, working dogs and the animals those dogs protect.
Casper's Legacy
Today, Casper's story belongs to more than one family in Decatur.
It has become one of the most widely shared modern examples of what livestock guardian dogs are capable of doing.
There is an important difference, however, between celebrating Casper and romanticizing what happened.
Nobody wanted that fight.
Wierwille himself has acknowledged how terrible the experience was.
Eight coyotes died.
Casper nearly died.
The ideal outcome for any guardian dog is to discourage predators before physical confrontation becomes necessary.
But on November 4, 2022, deterrence failed.
The coyotes came into the sheep's enclosure.
And Casper responded.
Daisy remained with the flock while heavily pregnant.
Casper confronted the immediate threat and pursued the fleeing coyotes beyond the fence.
By morning, eight coyotes were dead.
Two days later, the young Great Pyrenees somehow found his way home despite catastrophic injuries.
Veterinarians repaired what they could.
LifeLine Animal Project helped him through weeks of recovery.
Strangers donated thousands of dollars.
And a little more than a year later, the public chose him as its favorite farm dog in a national competition.
Casper's body would never look exactly the same.
His tail was gone.
Scars remained.
But the dog himself survived.
Perhaps that is why the story continues to resonate.
It is not simply a story about a dog defeating coyotes.
It is a story about a working animal doing the job generations of livestock guardian dogs were bred to perform — and continuing even when the danger became overwhelming.
Casper did not know there would eventually be television cameras.
He did not know people across the country would read about him.
He certainly did not know that more than 100,000 votes would be cast in a competition in which he would become the People’s Choice Pup.
On that November night, his world was much smaller.
There were sheep behind him.
There was a pregnant Daisy nearby.
And there was danger in front of him.
Casper chose the flock.
And somehow, after giving almost everything to protect it, he made it home.
Sources
Georgia Farm Bureau — “Casper: The People’s Pup” (March 7, 2024). Detailed account of Casper’s work, the November 2022 attack, his recovery through LifeLine Animal Project and his eventual People’s Choice Pup recognition.
Georgia Farm Bureau — “Georgia Dog Vies for National People’s Choice Pup” (November 29, 2023). Includes John Wierwille’s detailed account of Casper confronting three coyotes inside the enclosure, clearing the four-foot fence and the subsequent battle.
The Washington Post — “When coyotes attacked, a dog killed 8 of them, saving a flock of sheep” (December 9, 2022). Contemporary national reporting on the attack, Casper’s injuries, veterinary treatment and recovery.
American Farm Bureau Federation — Farm Dog of the Year program. Official information explaining the Farm Dog of the Year competition and the separate publicly voted People’s Choice Pup category.
Georgia Department of Agriculture — March 5, 2024 media advisory. Official state confirmation recognizing Casper as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s People’s Choice Pup alongside 2024 Farm Dog of the Year Skippy.
WABE / Decaturish — January 2024. Reporting on Casper’s recovery, return to his sheep and victory in the People’s Choice Pup competition.
FOX 5 Atlanta — January 23, 2024. Reporting confirming that more than 100,000 votes were cast and Casper was named the 2024 People’s Choice Pup.