A coyote fought Thursday morning with a 40-pound Labradoodle on Ponus Ridge—a tussle broken up by a ready caregiver who banged together pots and pans to chase off the wildlife, police said.
A coyote or ‘coywolf.’ This photograph was taken March 6, 2015 in New Canaan, at Marvin Ridge Road. Credit: Kathy Mitchell
It happened around 8:30 a.m. and the 3-year-old male Labradoodle appeared to have suffered no injuries, according to Officer Allyson Halm, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section.
Because there was direct contact between the beasts, rabies protocol calls for a booster shot as soon as possible and a 45-day home observation period, Halm said.
She forms part of an expert panel that will speak on coyotes—focusing on the animals’ behavior and how to coexist peacefully with them—to be held in the art gallery at New Canaan Library on Saturday, April 8.
Halm underscored that in this case, the residents are accustomed to seeing coyotes so “they have their hazing techniques down.”
The Labradoodle owners’ property on upper Ponus Ridge abuts Aquarion land near the reservoir, and the coyote may well have been protecting its territory in attacking the dog, according to Halm.
Coyotes by now have mated and females are denning and preparing to give birth to pups next month.
Male coyotes now are out hunting for the families.
In the Ponus Ridge case, “hazing did work,” Halm said.
“The owner was there and it’s proof that people need to make a lifestyle change if they want to protect their pets.”
If a smaller breed of dog it would have been dead!
Living with Coyotes is the answer? I question that. What about when coyotes start attacking small children? It has happened elsewhere.
When do we do something about his problem?
Be more afraid of your neighbors dog. Check out the dog bite statistics against the coyote and you will be shocked !
This is a great example of an educated and effective approach. I’m looking forward to the presentation on April 8th.