Two coyotes confronted a 14-year-old girl who was walking two small dogs in her yard on a leash at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Animal Control Officer Paul Miller reported in a statement. The coyotes came from woods next to her property.
The teen dropped the leashes so the dogs could run back to the house, Miller said. One dog ran inside the house, but the other stayed and growled at the coyotes, placing itself between the girl and the coyotes. One coyote then grabbed the dog. The girl yelled and grabbed the leash, then the coyote dropped the dog, he said.
Both coyotes then ran back into the woods. The owner took the injured dog to a veterinarian, where it was still being treated on Friday, but did not call police, Miller said.
A few minutes later, the neighbor across the street on Littlebrook Road let their Yorkshire terrier out in the yard at about 5 p.m., not knowing of the earlier coyote incident, Miller said.
That dog is missing and has not been located, he said. That incident also was not reported to police.
The Fairfield Animal Control Department cautions owners to supervise their pets closely when taking or letting them outside. The most active time for coyotes is dusk and dawn. Coyote activity is more common at night, but they do come out during the daytime.
Coyotes can be startled by loud noises or yelling, Miller said. Sightings of coyotes are common in Fairfield and most are seen briefly going through yards and woods, he said.
But any person who believes that a coyote presents an immediate danger or wants to report an incident with their pet should call the Fairfield Police at 203-254-4800 as soon as possible after it happens.
For more information about coyotes, call Fairfield Animal Control at 203-254-4857.
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