They’d heard the warnings about coyotes in the suburbs. But they’d been in Lakewood for 13 years and never seen one.
The Craven family, who live in a heavily populated area near West Jewell Avenue and South Estes Street, didn’t see the ones that jumped their fence and attacked two dogs Thursday.
“I’ve probably seen stories like this a hundred times and never paid attention to it because it wasn’t affecting me,” Mike Craven said.
Rocky, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu, was probably trying to get away and made it about 10 feet.
Craven said his 6-year-old Lhasa apso mix, Oliver, ran out to save his companion. But Rocky had to be put down because of the severity of its injuries.
“It was a tough situation,” Craven said.
The oldest of the three dogs, Gizmo, a 14- year-old Shih Tzu mix, never made it outside during the attack and wasn’t hurt.
State Division of Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said coyote breeding season in February and March is typically when people will have the most problem with coyotes.
“What’s happening now is the pups are leaving their dens to find their own territories and take opportunities as they come,” she said.
