Dog Dead After Another Reported Coyote Attack

For the third time in the past 14 months, a St. Louis Park resident has reported that their pet dog was killed by a coyote.

Carol Appell posted on a that her six-pound chihuahua, Chico, was attacked last night at Decatur and 30th Street near the Minnehaha Creek. She said the dog was only outside for a brief time but it happened quickly. Chico was bitten on both sides of his neck and bled to death, Appell reported.

"We are heartbroken and want to warn others that you must stay with your small pet at all times to prevent this from happening," she said on Patch.

Recently, another dog was killed in the Bronx Park Neighborhood, according to the city's Facebook page. And last March, a dog was . The attacks highlight what the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources calls an “increasing” coyote population in the Twin Cities. While the state hasn't documented a human attack, a number of coyote attacks on pets—like those in St. Louis Park—have been reported in the past few years.

To date, the city has decided against trying to shoot the coyotes, or laying traps, because both present safety risks to residents and pets in an urban area. Instead, residents are encouraged to follow a list of "Dos and don'ts" laid out by the DNR:

DO:

• secure all garbage containers, wildlife feeders, and other food sources to prevent coyote access
• confine small dogs and cats in kennels, or supervise them when outside
• vaccinate all pets for rabies, distemper, parvo, and other diseases, as recommended by a veterinarian
• consider installing coyote-proof fencing
• harass (by chasing, shouting, etc.) any coyotes that do not immediately run from people

DON'T:

• do not feed coyotes
• do not leave pet food outside
• do not allow cats and small dogs outside, unattended

Have you spotted a coyote in St. Louis Park? Plot your sighting on our .