If you live in certain areas of the U.S. and you are a dog parent, you need to be on the lookout for coyotes – and take precautions to keep your fur baby safe. That’s what a California couple is saying after their 15-pound Bichon Frisé was the victim of a coyote attack and lost an eye as a result of the ordeal.
Bichon Frisé Barely Survives Coyote Attack
Anne and Masa Hayashi told NBC Bay Area that their 11-year-old pup, Yuki, was ambushed by a pack of six coyotes on New Year’s Day. The wild animals were able to sneak into the yard because of an 8-inch gap under the fence.
The Hayashis were shocked when they found their fur baby in the yard after the assault. Yuki lost an eye, but she was lucky she didn’t lose her life, too.
“He was in terrible shape,” Anne said. “Everyone thinks if your pets are behind the fence, they’re safe. They’re not.”
Masa revealed that he had spotted a couple of coyotes in the neighborhood, but never a pack.
“Six coyotes. They can attack small dogs, big dogs, and what’s even more scary [is] they can attack children, and that would be a sad scenario,” he said.
While the couple was searching the area, they found out there was another dog attacked in the area, though not as severe as the one Yuki endured.
The Hayashis now have mesh around the gap in their fence.
How to Prevent a Coyote Attack
Peter Tira of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told NBC Bay Area that coyotes attacks are, sadly, not that uncommon.
“As coyotes spend time in neighborhoods, they become bolder and more comfortable with people, and they become more aggressive,” he said. “We’ve seen them take pets, small dogs, and quite often, it’s avoidable and preventable. But it takes a neighborhood effort.”
He recommended residents seal garbage, keep food indoors, and take care of any rodent infestations to help keep coyotes away. If coyotes do appear on your property, Tira said making loud noises should scare them off.
