Small Dogs Mauled By Coyotes In New Lenox
NEW LENOX, Ill. (CBS) -- A couple from New Lenox are lucky to have their dogs, after the animals were attacked by coyotes.
As WBBM Newsradio's David Roe reports, Caryn and John DeMarco let their 13-year-old Bichon Frise Kyle and their 12-year-old boxer-terrier mix Jill out in the yard Monday, as they finished bringing in a microwave they had just purchased from their car.
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A few minutes later, Caryn says she found both dogs across the street being attacked by coyotes.
"It was somewhat dark, but I could see Kyle was bleeding a lot. I screamed and ran over," she said.
Caryn says she screamed and ran to her dogs, scattering the coyotes.
When Caryn examined her dogs, blood was pouring from Kyle's neck as he was put in the car, ruining John's shirts while he held him.
The first veterinary office to which the DeMarcos' daughter, Carly, drove her parents was closed.
Hickory Creek Animal Clinic was closed, too, but Caryn's pounding brought staffers to the door.
"The vet said the teeth just missed the jugular (vein)," Caryn DeMarco said.
Kyle is expected to recover, and the family returned to find Jill had suffered some "scratches and scrapes," but was not badly injured.
Caryn said she hadn't seen coyotes in the neighborhood before, but wanted her experience to remind pet owners to keep an eye out when their animals are outside.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources website said coyote attacks are a danger for small animals year-round, especially at night.
A Will County Animal Control supervisor said there have been some recent reports of coyotes in the area, but not an unusually high number of calls.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
