Arlington officials say that there have been two incidents of coyotes attacking dogs in the city limits over the last two months and that residents should take steps to secure their animals.
Vets at the Richter Animal Hospital said over the last few years they have treated several pets suffering from coyote attacks.
"Just last week we had a dog that came in - a coyote had jumped over a seven-foot fence into a backyard and attacked the dog and unfortunately she didn't survive her wounds," said Dr. Tony Randolph.
Amy Evans owns two dogs and lives with her family in south Arlington, near the site of two recent coyote attacks. Evans admits she is concerned.
"One of our dogs is fairly small, so, that's food. And one of our dogs is fairly large so there's the potential for her to get into a fight or something to happen to her or something," said Evans.
Arlington Animal Services field supervisor Ray Rentschler said coyotes have always roamed the area, even if residents are only now beginning to notice.
It's a problem that doesn't really seem to be going away as more and more neighborhoods are popping up in what were once heavily-wooded areas.
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"We're in their space, they have nowhere else to go. So, they're going to be in those wooded areas, if there's a creek around, they're going to be a lot around the water, any green space. So, just because you're in a city or town doesn't keep you safe," said Randolph.
While your pets are often no match for coyotes, you can still keep them safe by keeping them on leashes, bringing them inside at night and not keeping pet food -- that might attract wildlife -- outside of the home.
