A 4-year-old girl in Colorado was bitten by a coyote on Thanksgiving Day after mistaking the wild creature for a dog, as reported by state officials who are currently searching for the animal.
“The agency is reminding everyone to be vigilant of their children and pets when living amid wildlife,” the Colorado Parks and Wildlife statement said
Officials from Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported that the incident occurred late in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“The agency is reminding everyone to be vigilant of their children and pets when living amid wildlife,” the Colorado Parks and Wildlife statement said.
Officials reported that the girl was assaulted when she and another child “came near a coyote hiding behind a tree, believing it was a dog.”
“The coyote lunged at the girl, grabbing the back of her head, inflicting serious injuries that resulted in an overnight stay at a hospital,” the park officials statement said.
“This could have been much worse — a tragedy — if not for the quick action of the child’s father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter and scare the coyote off,” Tim Kroening, the Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region, said in a statement shared by the wildlife agency.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Agency reports that the 4-year-old girl has been discharged from the hospital following the incident, and their officers are actively seeking to track down and capture the coyote involved.
The organization has stated that while pinpointing the specific coyote is “impossible,” they and their collaborators will take lethal measures against any coyote located near the site of the incident. The wildlife agency has stated that any “carcasses” collected from the culling of coyotes in the vicinity of the attack will be forwarded to a health lab for analysis of human DNA and testing for diseases, including rabies.
“We don’t know yet what brought the coyote into the yard with this child,” Kroening, the Aeea Wildlife Manager, added in his statement. “But it’s an important reminder to everyone to be alert and haze wild animals away from their homes and neighborhoods. That goes for deer, foxes, bobcats, bears, and other animals. Don’t let them get comfortable around people. If you see them, throw rocks at them, yell at them. If you notice aggressive behavior, call us immediately. We’ll try to remove any aggressive animals.”