Source: CBS 17
In the quiet town of Bixby, Oklahoma, a night that began like any other took a wild turn for Bonnie Moriarty. Wrapped in the comfort of sleep, she was abruptly awakened by a loud, unsettling noise that pierced the silence of her home. Initially, Bonnie thought the disturbance was just her dog and cat squabbling, a common enough occurrence in her pet-filled home. But the reality was far more astonishing and frightening.
As Bonnie’s heart raced, her sleepy confusion soon transformed into sheer terror. It wasn’t just her cat that darted into her bedroom; another creature had followed—a creature that was definitely not her dog.
The Unexpected Visitor
In the dim glow of the moonlight filtering through her bedroom window, Bonnie could barely make out the figures rushing towards her. It wasn’t until she managed to turn on the light that the situation became clear. Cowering in the corner of the room was a coyote, eyes wide and just as shocked as she was.
The sudden illumination and Bonnie’s scream had frozen the coyote in place, making it look even more out of place in the domestic setting. Just then, her dog, attuned to his owner’s distress, charged into the room. His barks were loud and fierce, directed at the wild intruder.
Source: CBS 17
A House Not So Secure
The event unfolded while Bonnie’s husband was out of town, leaving her alone to manage the chaos. Her children, who were asleep upstairs, were roused by their mother’s screams and came running down to find out what had caused such a commotion.
Piecing together the night’s events, Bonnie realized the coyote must have slipped inside through the back door, which hadn’t been shut properly. “He somehow just lunged at the door and the door opened,” she explained later. After ensuring her children were safe, Bonnie quickly retreated from her bedroom, shutting the door behind her to trap the coyote temporarily.
Safe Return to the Wild
Without delay, Bonnie called the police. It wasn’t long before they arrived, ready to handle the unusual trespasser. Three officers equipped with catcher poles entered the bedroom cautiously. They managed to loop one around the coyote’s neck and gently guided him out of the house.
Once outside, the coyote’s relief was palpable. He wasted no time dashing towards the woods near the Moriarty’s home, eager to return to his natural habitat. The encounter with humans was surely as unsettling for him as it was for Bonnie and her family.
Lessons from a Nighttime Intrusion
This bizarre incident highlights a few critical points. First, the importance of securing one’s home—doors and windows alike—cannot be overstated, especially in areas where wildlife is common. Secondly, while coyotes typically do not enter human homes, they can follow pets inside if given the opportunity, driven by curiosity or hunger.
Thankfully, this story concluded without any harm to Bonnie, her children, the pets, or the coyote. It serves as a stark reminder of the thin barrier sometimes existing between the wild outdoors and our domestic lives. It’s an experience that Bonnie Moriarty is unlikely to forget, and it has surely made her more cautious about securing her home each night.
While encounters like this are rare, they remind us of the unpredictable nature of wildlife and the importance of being prepared for any situation. The coyote’s unexpected visit to the Moriarty household is a tale that the family will recount for years, a night when the wild came knocking at their door.
