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A woman in Bergen County, New Jersey, is on the mend following a coyote attack while she was outside with her family’s dog on Monday afternoon in Woodcliff Lake.
The incident, caught on surveillance cameras, occurred at approximately 1:20 p.m.
The coyote launched an attack on the 31-year-old housekeeper, inflicting wounds to her shoulder, arm, back, and leg as she stood with a golden retriever in the backyard.
The footage shows the homeowner swiftly rushing out to intervene and fend off the wild animal.
Authorities report that the coyote also targeted the dog, though it escaped without serious injury, and the coyote subsequently fled the scene.
The backyard of the house is a wooded nature preserve.
“That coyote really attacked that woman. That coyote is probably rabid. Everyone listening should be careful today,” veterinarian Dr. Dyan Muller said.
The dog’s vet happens to live across the street and said the dog is OK.
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The homeowners said the housekeeper is still shaken and now has to undergo a month of rabies shots.
Since the coyote was not caught, it is not known at this point if the animal is rabid.
The local police have reached out to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife while they caution homeowners to not leave anything edible outside that might tempt wildlife.
“Keep pet food inside; don’t leave it outside. Keep your garbage cans locked, again clear any kind of heavy brush that’s in the area because they like to hide in that. Any bird feeders that knock off seeds attract small animals, which attracts coyotes,” Woodcliff Lake Capt. Chad Malloy said.
Capt. Malloy says coyote attacks in the nearby area are rare.
After Monday’s attack and with questions about the health of the animal, however, police are warning residents to be extra mindful of their surroundings, including keeping an eye on their pets, especially if they’re out on walks with or without them. Residents are also urged to have nothing around their homes that might attract wild animals like coyotes.
“If you live near a wooded area, that’s where you got to be more aware of your surroundings, because obviously they lurk in heavily brushed areas,” Malloy said.
In September, police euthanized a coyote after two people were attacked while walking their dogs in the borough of Saddle River in Bergen County.
