Man Bitten By Coyote He Mistook For A Dog
ASHBURNHAM (CBS) -- Police are warning residents to be on the lookout for coyotes after one bit a man several times.
Ashburnham Police said the 22-year-old man was bitten on Dunn Road around 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
"The animal was mistaken for a small-medium sized dog and allowed the person to approach before biting," police wrote on the department's Facebook page.
He was taken to Hayward Hospital in Gardner where he was treated for rabies as a precaution.
Police said they were especially worried because children wait for their school bus in the area near where the incident happened.
"Please watch your pets closely and pass the word to neighbors and school bus students," they wrote in the post.
They warned that coyotes can be a variety of sizes and colors, and that they will sometimes wander into areas where people live in search of food.
There have been no other sightings or attacks, but police warned those in the area not to approach or feed any dogs, foxes, or coyotes they don't know.
Massachusetts Environmental Police are also investigating, and Ashburnham officers have been patrolling the area.