A 9-year-old is lucky to be alive after being attacked by a coyote in their Oregon backyard. The child was playing hide and seek, but the last thing they expected was for an animal to be the seeker.
The incident happened in the Alameda neighborhood of Portland on October 23. The 9-year-old had been playing hide and seek with a 3-year-old when the coyote attacked them. According to a press release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the coyote grabbed the child by their foot.
Fortunately, the child was wearing socks and was able to "shake their foot out of the sock and run away." Reportedly, the coyote continued the attack, but the child's father managed to scare the animal away. The child's parents rushed them to the hospital, where doctors treated them for minor injuries. ODFW District Wildlife Biologist Dave Keiter confirmed the child is getting post-rabies exposure treatment.
Coyote Attack
"On Oct. 24, ODFW district wildlife staff responded to the area to conduct a site investigation," the press release continued. "They also posted flyers in the neighborhood and shared a notice on social media to inform residents that a concerning incident with a coyote had recently occurred."
"It's incredibly unusual for a coyote to show this level of interest in humans, and oftentimes these incidents are linked towards feeding of coyotes, intentional or unintentional," Keiter told the outlet. "That's one reason that in Oregon it's illegal to feed coyotes, and we really strongly urge folks not to feed coyotes, simply because it puts people at risk and the coyotes at risk."
Keiter recommends staying away from coyotes and avoid feeding them. You should also watch over small children. Coyotes may target them.
"Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and mainly eat rodents, fruit, and nuts but they will also consume whatever food they can find including food waste, pet food, and sometimes small pets like outdoor cats," per the ODFW.
