CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) – Aggressive coyotes attacked and injured three more dogs in Arapahoe County on Monday, prompting owners to warn neighbors.
Josh Noreen’s large dogs — Ziggy, Loki and Maia — suffered serious injuries, including puncture wounds. One dog’s ear was ripped off. Ziggy bore the brunt of the attack and received 37 stitches.
“Our dogs do not go outside unattended anymore,” Noreen said.
The attacks happened in the Walnut Hills Subdivision, just southwest of Interstate 25 and Arapahoe Road.
One of the injured dogs (credit: CBS4)
A cat belonging to Ken Polinsky was also killed. He said he worries about his daughters being outside.
“We saw the cat at about 7 o’clock, and learned later that the dogs were attacked at 7:38, so we could have been out there. So that’s scary. We’re going to be outside with the girls. We’re not going to leave them alone,” Polinsky said.
Green space behind their homes provides ample opportunity for the coyotes to roam about the neighborhood.
Monday’s attacks come just a few days after several smaller dogs were killed in another part of Arapahoe County near Yale Avenue and I-25. It’s unclear if the same coyotes are responsible.
Animal control officers said coyotes are considered urban wildlife, and the Division of Parks and Wildlife typically doesn’t get involved unless a human is attacked.
