New Jersey

Coyote Attacks Small Dog in Saddle River, New Jersey: Police

Police in Saddle River, New Jersey say a small dog was attacked by a coyote Sunday night, marking the fourth aggressive encounter with a coyote in the borough in just over a month. 

Police said an Oak Road resident's 10-pound Yorkshire-Bichon fought with a coyote in the home backyard and managed to escape. 

"I heard a scream, like an animal scream," said owner Ilana Rosenberg. "I ran to the back door."  

"We saw the coyote in the back, looking directly at my son and I," she said. "We screamed for her for 10 to minutes. She miraculously appeared in the back door, a little bloody." 

The dog, named Oogie, was taken to the hospital for treatment and is now recovering. It was up to date with vaccinations, said Rosenberg. 

The coyote eventually ran off, which animal control officers say is a good sign it did not have rabies, but Oogie is being monitored as a precaution. 

Responding officers were not able to locate the coyote. Animal control officers and the state Division of Wildlife have been notified, police said. 

Residents are being warned not to leave their pets or children outside unattended. Despite the frequent coyote sightings in the area lately, animal control says coyotes aren't doing anything unusual.

"It's the season when coyotes are active, and people are a little more careless, I guess," said Tyco animal control officer Carol Tyler. 

Earlier this month, a sheep was found dead of an apparent coyote attack on a private farm off Twin Brook Road in Saddle River, according to Tyco Animal Control. It was the town's third coyote attack in a month.

And in April, another rabid coyote attacked a man and his dog in Norwood in Saddle River while he was working in the yard.

Police in New Jersey have been warning residents to be on alert. Last month, a coyote walked away from a home in the Morris County township of Randolph with a dog in its mouth. Neither were seen again.

Also in April, a man walking his dog was attacked in Bergen County by a coyote that later tested positive for rabies. A second aggressive coyote was also found dead in a trap, but it was found non-rabid.

Coyotes have also been turning up more frequently in New York City. 

Wildlife experts say people can reduce the risk of coyote conflicts by not feeding them and securing trash and pets, among other steps.

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