(Cuyahoga County) - Lakewood Police report a coyote attacked and killed a dog on Clifton Boulevard.
The owner said the 13 year old Dachshund was in her yard when it was attacked by the coyote and dragged across the street.
The dog had to be euthanized at an animal hospital.
Jamey Emmert of the Ohio Division of Wildlife says they are receiving more reports of coyote sightings in Northeast Ohio, because coyotes have no real predators in this area, they are tolerant of humans, and are used to living in developed areas.
Coyotes feed on snakes, birds, rats, mice, and other small rodents.
Emmert tells Newsradio WTAM 1100 that confrontations between coyotes and dogs are often because the dog made the initial attack, or the coyote was defending its pups, or a mate.
She urges residents to keep their dogs and cats indoors when they are not being walked. Emmert says if you encounter a coyote during a walk, scare it away by creating loud noises, shining a flashlight, or making yourself look bigger by striking an angry pose.
If the coyote is in your yard, spray it with a water hose. She says don't leave dog or cat food outside where a coyote can grab a quick meal.
Over the past three months, several dogs were attacked by coyotes in Lakewood Park, and in Shaker Heights a K-9 was actually snatched by a coyote.
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