A 5-year-old Renton boy was injured in an attack by a coyote on New Year’s Eve. The injuries were non-life-threatening, and the child was released from a hospital on the same day. State wildlife officials urge parents to use caution when coyotes are sighted and to know how to respond in case of an attack.
Fast action by mom
It could have been far worse, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) said this week. They credited quick action by the boy’s mother for preventing more significant injuries after the wild canine attempted to drag the boy into a greenbelt in the city’s Maplewood Heights neighborhood.
The attack happened at around 6 p.m. on December 31. According to the WDFW, the animal bit the boy in the upper body and pulled him to the ground before trying to drag him. The child’s mother rushed at the coyote, forcing it to release the child.
Although the animal stayed near the area of the attack until WDFW officers arrived, the coyote ran into a forested area nearby after the officers tried to kill it.
Increasing coyote sightings
The WDFW sent a coyote warning in October 2024 after a woman in the Queen Anne neighborhood was injured by a coyote. The bite victim looked out into her backyard and saw her pet dangling from a coyote’s mouth. She was bitten on her arm and head as she tried to free her dog. Fish and Wildlife officers patrolled the area in a search for the coyote but did not find it.
In 2023, KIRO reported a coyote nipping at a student near Dearborn Park International Elementary School in Seattle on Valentine’s Day.
Prevent coyote attacks and what to do if approached.
Although attacks on humans by coyotes remain rare, coyote experts and state wildlife officials say that reports of coyote sightings in both rural and urban areas are on the rise. The WDFW offers the following guidelines for keeping yourself, your kids, and your pets safe from coyote attacks:
- Never run away from a coyote. Make loud noises, wave sticks, squirt it with a hose, or otherwise “haze” the coyote if it approaches. Stand tall, stare into the eyes of the coyote, and shout at it. You also can throw something at it.
- Don’t leave small children unattended where coyotes are frequently seen or heard. If coyote sightings are in your area, prepare your children for a possible encounter. Explain why coyotes live there (habitat/food source/ species adaptability) and what they should do if one approaches them (don’t run, be as big, mean, and loud as possible). By shouting a set phrase such as “Go away, coyote” when they encounter one, children will inform nearby adults of the coyote’s presence instead of a general scream. Demonstrate and rehearse encounter behavior with the children.
- Never feed coyotes. Coyotes fed by people often lose their fear of humans and develop a territorial attitude that may lead to aggressive behavior.
- Don’t give coyotes access to garbage. Keep garbage can lids tight with rope, chain, bungee cords, or weights. Better yet, buy quality garbage cans with clamps or other mechanisms that hold lids. Secure the side handles to metal or wooden stakes driven into the ground to prevent tipping. Or keep your cans in tight-fitting bins, a shed, or a garage.
- Prevent access to fruit and compost. Fence fruit trees or pick up fruit that falls to the ground. Securely cover compost piles within a fenced area. Cover new compost material with soil or lime to prevent it from smelling. Never include animal matter in your compost; it attracts coyotes. If burying food scraps, cover them with at least 12 inches of soil, and don’t leave any garbage above ground in the area—including the stinky shovel.
- Feed dogs and cats indoors. If you must feed your pets outside, do so in the morning or at midday, and pick up food, water bowls, leftovers, and spilled food well before dark every day.
- Don’t feed feral cats. Coyotes prey on feral cats, and food that is left out for the cats.
- Prevent the buildup of feeder foods under bird feeders. Coyotes will eat bird food and are attracted to the many birds and rodents that come to feeders.
- Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn. Coyotes may kill cats and small to mid-size dogs if left outside at night in an unprotected area. Pets can be easy prey for coyotes. If you suspect losing a dog or cat to a coyote, notify your neighbors. Once a coyote finds easy prey, it will hunt in the area continually.
- Modify the landscape around children’s play areas. Shrubs and trees should be pruned several feet above ground level so coyotes can’t hide in them. Keep deterrents nearby to be prepared should a coyote encounter occur. An old hockey stick, broom, or a pile of stones near the play area can help prepare children and adults for an encounter and will remind them of effective encounter behavior.
- Build a coyote-proof fence. Coyotes may attack a family pet after climbing into a fenced yard. A 5-foot woven-wire fence with extenders facing outward at the top of each post should prevent coyotes from climbing over. Remember, too, that coyotes are excellent diggers, and an effective fence needs to extend at least 8 inches below the surface or have a galvanized-wire apron that extends out from the fence at least 15 inches. Electric fences can also keep coyotes out of an enclosed area. Alternatively, install a commercial device to prevent coyotes from being able to get the foothold necessary to hoist them over a fence.
- Enclose poultry (chickens, ducks, and turkeys) in a secure outdoor pen and house. Be aware that urban backyard “farms” may attract coyotes. Coyotes will eat poultry and their eggs if they can get to them, as well as rabbits. Fence the yard with a coyote-proof fence as described above. Poultry houses should be equipped with well-fitted doors and secure locking mechanisms to prevent coyotes from accessing birds in their night roosts. To prevent them from trying to go under the fence, stake the bottom of the fence flush to the ground or line the bottom of the fence with bricks, fence posts, or similar items. To prevent coyotes and other animals from accessing poultry during the day, completely enclose outdoor pens with 1-inch chicken wire over a sturdy wooden framework.
In case of bite
If you, a child, or a pet are bitten or scratched, immediately scrub the wound with soap and water and flush the wound liberally with tap water. In other parts of North America, coyotes can carry rabies. Contact your physician and the local health department immediately. If your pet is bitten, follow the same cleansing procedure and contact your veterinarian.
Report sightings and attacks
Reports of coyotes in the city or suburban areas should be sent to community science programs such as Woodland Park Zoo’s Carnivore Spotter. If you or your kids witness a coyote attack on “supervised” pets (such as dogs on leashes), backyard chickens, or other animals, or if you see an injured or dangerous animal, report it to WDFW by calling 360–902–2936, emailing WILDCOMM@dfw.wa.gov, or by reporting online.
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