- Dog named Zelda killed by a coyote in Port Aransas in April 2023
- Mary Jane and Dennis Chaffin are raising awareness about the danger of coyotes to pets
- Keeping 'Legend of Zelda' alive through Zelda's grandson dog, Zeus
Mary Jane and Dennis Chaffin are Winter Texans from Michigan. Their Boston Terrier, Zelda, was killed by a coyote in April 2023.
The Chaffins were devastated when they lost Zelda. However, they came back to Port Aransas for the winter again this year.
"And every time I go out there, you know, it’s a reminder of what happened," Mary Jane Chaffin said.
Zelda was taken by the coyote around 9:00 pm on a Saturday night right to the side of the Chaffin's condo inside of the complex.
"Zelda had been on my lap most of the night because she was really attached to me. I got up and took a chair in the house," Chaffin said. "I come back out and turn the light on, and then I went back over by where I was sitting and she was right there and then she walked over underneath the picnic table area because that’s where they go to the bathroom usually. And within seconds, she was gone.”
Two days later, they were able to watch security footage from the condo complex. They saw the coyote snatch Zelda and run away.
The Chaffins never wanted anyone else to experience the pain and suffering that they went through. So, Mary Jane wanted to make a difference. She called Governor Greg Abbott and he got Texas Parks and Wildlife involved to promote coyote awareness around Port Aransas. She didn't stop there.
"I started a Facebook page, Port Aransas coyote attacks. And I’ve got over a thousand people on that page," Chaffin said.
A couple months ago, the Chaffins were ready to fill the void that was left after Zelda died. They tracked down the owners of the mother of Zelda abck in Michigan, who happened to be carrying a litter of French Bulldog/Boston Terrior puppies.
The Chaffin's picked out Zeus, Zelda's grandson, as their new family member.
“Zeus now, which is the grandson of Zelda which we lost. And it’s quite an amazing story how that happened," Dennis Chaffin said.
Throughout all the tragedy that the Chaffin's went through, they have one overall message.
"We’re not here to kill coyotes. We’re here to warn people that it can happen to you. You know, right outside your door, in seconds. I don’t live in fear. That’s another reason I came back," Dennis and Mary Jane said.
This will be their last winter in Port Aransas, as they bought a new vacation home in Mississippi and will be residing there with their four dogs for the winters to follow.
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