NAHANT, MASS. (WHDH) - Police in Nahant are urging residents to keep an eye on their pets after a dog was attacked by a coyote on Monday.
Buddy the black lab suffered injuries to his legs but is expected to be OK, his owner Eileen Peterson told officers, according to the Nahant Police Department.
“I went out there because I was like ‘wait a minute, that’s not like any dog I know.’ It turned out to be two coyotes on him,” Peterson said.
The attack happened in her fenced in yard around 5 p.m.
The two coyotes jumped the fence and went after 12-year-old Buddy while a third looked on the other side of the fence.
Peterson’s son, Eddie, ran out to find Buddy had already fought them off.
“There was no blood, so it wasn’t gory. But after seeing the holes, it looked like he got shot,” he said.
The police department also warned residents that coyote mating season is underway, bringing the potential for an uptick in aggressive behavior.
“During mating season, coyotes can become more aggressive and more territorial,” police wrote in a Facebook post. “We remind you to keep an eye on all pets while outside.”
Police noted that coyotes can scale fences up to eight feet high.
Eileen said they have heard coyotes in the past but they have never been this aggressive.
“We’ve heard animals getting ripped apart, so I’m assuming it was cats. But, coming in during the daylight like this and attacking a dog… no,” she said.
Anyone who comes in contact with an aggressive coyote is urged to call 911 or call Nahant police at 781-581-1212.
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