To the editor:

Aquidneck Island’s scenic treasure attracts thousands of people annually. My husband and I were raised here. After spending a couple of years away from New England, we realized how much we missed this island. We chose to return and 40 years later we continue to be captivated by the beauty that surrounds us. 

Sometimes, however, we need a reminder that the greatest attribute of the island is not its scenery, but the people who live here. We recently experienced firsthand the incredible empathy of Aquidneck Islanders. 

A few weeks ago, our beloved 13-year-old Lab, Jake, was attacked by a large coyote while in our yard at 6:45 p.m. Although we were aware that coyotes resided on the island, we had no idea how aggressive and fearless they had become. Jake is getting on in years, but he is still feisty and weighs in at 80 pounds. We never considered his minute-long sojourns before bed to be risky.

However, this changed within seconds when his pre-bed routine was interrupted by the attacking coyote. We were lucky to have heard the commotion and to have scared off the coyote before Jake’s injuries became fatal. Despite our intervention, Jake spent two days in the hospital, and underwent some significant veterinary procedures.

The outpouring of concern for Jake has been incredible. We now know that the greatest resource of Aquidneck Island is not its beauty; rather it is its community. Our family, and Jake, cannot adequately express our gratitude for the unsolicited and heartwarming empathy shown by all of our neighbors and fellow Islanders. This is truly a special place to live.

Jake has made incredible progress due to the wonderful care from everyone at Portsmouth Veterinary Clinic and the staff at Ocean State Veterinary Hospital. We are so grateful that Jake will make a full recovery. We thank all of you for kind words, healing advice, and your overall love and concern for our beloved dog. 

We also thank the Portsmouth Times for reporting this issue so that others are aware of this recent coyote attack. There simply is no better place to live than “on the Island.”

Kathy and Rick Updegrove — and Jake

323 Windstone Drive

Portsmouth