All wonderful guesses, very creative, but it was...

A CHIPMUNK!

I got Pinot to drop it, took her inside and came back to look after the chipmunk. The poor thing, when I went in, was in one spot, hopping in a circle like a little whirling dervish. By the time I got back, it was hiding in the grass. I had a little chat with it, telling it the creature was coming back out, and it took off like a shot to get under cover, so I think it's OK.

Later, I related the story to my husband, and when I got to the part where it was hopping around, and I didn't know what to think, he said, "The poor thing was in shock! How would you feel if you just got picked up by Godzilla?!"