WILD animal attacks have been on the rise, with one neighborhood reporting a string of attacks that have taken their pets and left them terrorized.

Draper City, Utah, has been reporting more and more sightings of wild coyotes, which often attack smaller animals, leaving pets especially vulnerable.

A family based in Draper City reported an encounter they had with a coyote, which took their 11-year-old Pomeranian Chihuahua from their front yard, reports NBC affiliate KSL-TV.

“It picked him up like he was a toy and I chased him over to the corner, and as soon as I got around the corner they were just gone in the night,” said Paula Coggins.

Coggins reports the attack occurred at 9:15 p.m., while she took her pet outside for a break in her yard.

She claims her husband and son went on to search for the pet, named Koda, but they never found it.

“If it wasn’t afraid of me yelling and rushing it, it could grab anything,” said Coggins.

“I didn’t think they would be so aggressive and so close; there are no limitations to what they would do.”

Draper City has been receiving an increased number of coyote sightings in the area.

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Over the past year, there have been five animal deaths related to coyotes in the area.

Other communities in Salt Lake County have been reporting similar sightings, with many wondering why there are so many coyotes fearlessly occupying spaces where there are humans.

While coyotes prefer to stay out of sight of humans, they’re not intimidated by urban areas.

They are the top carnivores in most metropolitan areas, reports Ohio State University Extension.

They’ve been spotted in New York City, on the roof of a bar once in 2015, per CNN.

“Some coyotes are able to thrive in urban areas with elevated human activity and minimal natural cover,” reads the OSU Extension report.

“Likewise, their diets are extremely flexible; coyotes are generally scavengers and predators of small prey, mostly feeding on rodents, fruit, deer, and rabbits.”

“They generally avoid eating trash, even in urban areas.”

To avoid coyote conflicts, it’s important to avoid feeding them and to supervise pets and kids when they’re outside.

If a coyote approaches you, it’s recommended to avoid running and to make a loud noise, or throw something in their direction to spook them off.