BROOMFIELD, Colo.—State and local authorities are trying to locate a pair of coyotes after one of them nipped at a woman who was playing with her dog in Broomfield.
North Metro Fire Rescue says the woman was in an open space area near her home when the attack occurred about 7 a.m. Thursday. She was able to return to her home and call 911.
Paramedics treated the woman for minor injuries. She did not require hospitalization.
Colorado Division of Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said the coyotes will be killed if they can be found.
“We try to target aggressive animals,” Churchill.
The woman said she was playing Frisbee with her dog when two coyotes approached. One of them grabbed onto her, but she was able to shake the animal loose. Churchill said the coyote bit into the woman’s coat but didn’t puncture her skin.
The dog, a yellow Labrador retriever, then chased off the coyotes. The dog wasn’t hurt.
Churchill said the Division of Wildlife gets several reports of coyotes in the Denver area attacking or approaching dogs and advises people to keep pets on leashes outdoors. The agency usually gets about one complaint each year about a coyote approaching or attacking a person.
In December, a coyote nipped a boy playing outside in Erie. Churchill said wildlife officers killed a coyote in the area. She said it’s impossible to know for sure if officers got the right animal, but they believe they did based on its location.
Coyotes weigh from 20 pounds to 50 pounds, are about 18 inches high and generally look like dogs. Wildlife officials say people should not allow their pets to roam or leave food outside. People shouldn’t approach coyotes and should throw rocks or sticks to keep they away.
A Senate committee on Thursday rejected a proposal from Sen. Joyce Foster, D-Denver, which would have required the state wildlife department to increase its efforts to control coyotes in urban areas. The measure would have cost an extra $60,000 a year.
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Information from: KDVR-TV,
