It happened fast, and was heartbreaking.

It happened on Saturday afternoon in Novi, Michigan. A woman let her 3-year-old Maltese dog out in her backyard, when suddenly the dog was attacked by two coyotes. Mlive reported that Debbie Oppat said...

She watched in horror as her dog was taken by the animals from the backyard around 1 p.m. Saturday. She ran into the woods to try to catch up with the animals but was unsuccessful. While coyotes are naturally afraid of humans, she says the ones in the Novi area are becoming very aggressive.

Right after the tragedy Debbie posted on Facebook that she has seen coyotes in several areas of her neighborhood.

With the death of her dog and knowledge of other coyote sighting, Debbie spoke with WDIV Click On Detroit, "We need to stand up and tell the authorities what’s happening to our pets before a child gets hurt".

The Department of Natural Resources provides advice on to protect yourself and animals from a coyote attack...

  • Eliminate outside food sources.
  • Garbage or pet food left out may draw their attention.
  • Coyotes may also take advantage of the small mammals and birds that bird feeders and gardens often attract.
  • Clear out brush piles that provide hiding places for small mammals and birds.
  • Keep small pets indoors or accompany them outside and keep them on a leash.
  • If you see a coyote in your area, try to scare it off by yelling, clapping or making other loud noises. Most coyotes are naturally afraid of people and will leave if you frighten them.
  • Coyotes, like any wild animal, can act unpredictably and should be treated with respect and enjoyed from a distance.
  • Coyotes are pretty common in Michigan in both urban and rural areas and can be active at any point of the day.

If you see a coyote in your area call the police so it is on the record, and be safe!

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