In my experience, fear is usually sprung from ignorance...people who know nothing about reptiles running from a bearded dragon at work today for example.

Twisterdog: You're absolutely right about Coyotes, they're quite small and would be hard-pressed to harm even a small dog. We have a few in our area but I've never been lucky enough to see them, I've only heard them.

My vet has speclated that Star might be half Coyote. She looks a bit like one, and she has the classical behavior problems of a Coyote hybrid, plus when she moves she "slinks" rather like a coyote. ^.^