COLORADO SPRINGS – Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are on the lookout for a coyote after two reports in the same day, of attacks on dogs in Ute Valley Park. “If a coyote is acting in this manner, it is very dangerous and we want to make sure we keep everybody safe,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife, District Wildlife Manager, Aaron Besheid. He says the coyote’s behavior is not normal.
The attacks happened to dogs out with their owners Sunday. Sarah Hogan had her four month old Golden Lab on a leash. “Quite out of the blue, we were on the trail, a coyote came and grabbed her ear, dragged her off the trail and then I recovered her and then he tried to get her again,” said Hogan. They got away, but Hogan said the coyote then followed them further down the trail.
While investigating the one attack, wildlife officers learned of the second attack. ” We were looking in the area and came across another guy that said he had his dog off the leash and the coyote did attack his dog too,” said Berscheid. Wildlife is common in Colorado Springs, but this type of behavior is highly unusual.
Wildlife officers are now working to find and remove the coyote. They say anyone going to the park with their dog should keep it on a leash.
