Coyote attack on dog sparks concern for pet safety

 

ELM GROVE, (CBS 58) -- There has been another brutal attack on a suburban dog. The village of Elm Grove is now joining the list of areas considering a coyote culling program.

Dog lovers may especially find it tough to see the pictures we're about to show you of a two-and-a-half-year-old Pomeranian mix. His biggest fault, being too curious.

A coyote left Bandit with 12 puncture wounds. Holly Kuusinen rushed him to WVRC.

"I don't think they thought he was gonna make it because he did come in critical," said Kuusinen, Bandit's mom.

The attack on this sweet little guy happened Feb. 17, only a few days after a neighbor snapped his photo from her window.

"I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that it was so close," said Kuusinen.

Kuusinen escorted her four pups outside to do their business around midnight, but Bandit disappeared.

"I heard a sound and it sounded like a screech. It sounded like him being hurt," Kuusinen said.

Kuusinen yelled Bandit's name. She thinks her loud voice scared the coyote off.

"It was right almost where that leaf is there. There was blood in the snow, lots of blood in the snow and once I started to cry I couldn't stop," said Kuusinen.

Two weeks later, Bandit is doing better and back to playing with his sister, and Kuusinen has invested in some coyote deterrents for her yard.

"So I've got 20 of these that once the ground thaws I'm gonna set them around the perimeter of the yard. I've got these that are gonna hang from trees. I've got 30 of these," said Kuusinen.

The next door neighbor app blew up after the coyote attack, people wondering what could be done. We asked Elm Grove's Village President.

"The public safety committee handles these kind of matters. That's who's dealt with our wildlife issues in the past and we are right now in the process of scheduling a meeting of which this will be on the agenda," said Neil Palmer, Elm Grove Village President.

Wauwatosa's contract with their coyote trapper ended last month and netted five coyotes.

"Stay away from them when you see them. They come uncomfortably close, make noise, yell at them, carry one of those little air horns with you or sprays," said Palmer.

Bandit spent several days in the hospital. The bill was over $8,000. If you have questions about coyotes, the DNR's website has a lot of helpful tips.