Dog attacked by coyote in West Roxbury backyard
WEST ROXBURY - A West Roxbury family wants to share the word with pet owners, after their 35-pound dog was bitten by a coyote in their fenced-in backyard Tuesday night.
Ella the dog is home recovering, after she had to go to Angell Animal Medical Center because a coyote attacked her.
If little Ella could talk, what a harrowing tale she would tell. But the big bite on her face, the gash under her neck and now the cone she must wear, give a glimpse of the scary encounter she had with a coyote.
"We just saw big drips of blood on the floor, so we knew immediately we're going to Angell with her, poor baby," said her owner Jan Pfeiffer-Rios.
The Pfeiffer-Rios family dogs had been let out in the fenced-in backyard late Tuesday night and as owner Francis was trying to wrangle one of the dogs back into the house, she spotted a coyote running inside their yard.
"It was unexpected," said owner Francis Pfeiffer-Rios.
And Ella crossed paths with the wild animal.
"Ella disappeared around the side of the house here and so did the coyote and next thing we know you know Ella comes in and she's all bloody," said Jan Pfeiffer-Rios.
While they say it's not unusual to see coyotes in the neighborhood, it's rare they made into the fenced in backyard.
"I don't think really it was an attack, it's just Ella was in the wrong place at the wrong time and passed the coyote who wanted to get out of the yard," said Jan Pfeiffer-Rios.
Tips to prevent conflicts with coyotes
This time of year, you might be encountering coyotes more because Mass Wildlife officials say it's still mating season.
So, experts say the best way to avoid conflict is to:
1. Keep small dogs on a leash even in the yard-because coyotes can easily clear a six-foot fence.
2. Remove human-associated food sources from your property.
3. Don't be afraid to haze coyotes-by making a lot of noise and waving arms around.
More tips can be found here on Boston.gov and Mass.gov.
"Now that it has happened, I'll be going out with them on a leash, they'll be in a leash," said Francis Pfeiffer-Rios. "It's a safety factor that you have to do."
Even though Ella is in a lot of pain and on a lot of antibiotics, they're thankful this wasn't worse.
"We are very, very lucky," said Jan Pfeiffer-Rios.
Boston Animal Control gets quite a number of calls during this time of year. If you have any concerns or questions, call them at 617-635-5348 or animalcontrol@boston.gov or MassWildlife at 508-389-6300.