Dog dies after apparent coyote attack

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Dog dies after apparent coyote attack Mar 11, 2019 14:17 ET Original: Dog dies after apparent coyote attack [Reprinted from original] AWENDAW, SC (WCSC) - A woman’s dog is dead after being attacked by what appeared to be a coyote in Awendaw on Wednesday night. Holly Steele said her 4-year-old chihuahua, Tippy, had escaped from her back yard. Steele found the dog with bite marks across his back and his sides. “Teeth marks all the way around,” Steele said. “You can see the puncture site on both sides. I have x-rays where it actually popped pieces of the vertebrae apart.” The veterinarian who treated Tippy at Veterinary Specialty Care in Mount Pleasant said Monday that the dog’s bite marks were consistent with those of a large animal, which was probably a coyote. Steele said she has heard of coyote problems on barrier islands in the Charleston area, but never in her Awendaw neighborhood. “I didn’t even know this was a problem and not knowing there was a problem, I couldn’t protect my dog from this problem,” Steele said. “So I just want everyone to know this problem.” Steele said because of the safety threat coyotes pose to dogs like hers, she thinks something needs to be done to control the local coyote population. State representatives are considering a bill that would put a $75 bounty on coyotes and extend coyote trapping season. “It’s sad because I feel like all lives matter, so I feel like coyote lives matter, too,” Steele said. “But we have to protect our loved ones and our little fur babies.” Steele said she would support the bill passing because it could increase safety for young children and pets. But most of all, Steele is hopeful she can educate her neighbors about taking precautions against coyotes so something like this does not happen to their pet. “Our family going through this trauma is able to help some other pet owner to protect their pet and prevent them from going through this," Steele said.

Dog dies after apparent coyote attack Mar 11, 2019 14:17 ET Original: Dog dies after apparent coyote attack [Reprinted from original] AWENDAW, SC (WCSC) - A woman’s dog is dead after being attacked by what appeared to be a coyote in Awendaw on Wednesday night. Holly Steele said her 4-year-old chihuahua, Tippy, had escaped from her back yard. Steele found the dog with bite marks across his back and his sides. “Teeth marks all the way around,” Steele said. “You can see the puncture site on both sides. I have x-rays where it actually popped pieces of the vertebrae apart.” The veterinarian who treated Tippy at Veterinary Specialty Care in Mount Pleasant said Monday that the dog’s bite marks were consistent with those of a large animal, which was probably a coyote. Steele said she has heard of coyote problems on barrier islands in the Charleston area, but never in her Awendaw neighborhood. “I didn’t even know this was a problem and not knowing there was a problem, I couldn’t protect my dog from this problem,” Steele said. “So I just want everyone to know this problem.” Steele said because of the safety threat coyotes pose to dogs like hers, she thinks something needs to be done to control the local coyote population. State representatives are considering a bill that would put a $75 bounty on coyotes and extend coyote trapping season. “It’s sad because I feel like all lives matter, so I feel like coyote lives matter, too,” Steele said. “But we have to protect our loved ones and our little fur babies.” Steele said she would support the bill passing because it could increase safety for young children and pets. But most of all, Steele is hopeful she can educate her neighbors about taking precautions against coyotes so something like this does not happen to their pet. “Our family going through this trauma is able to help some other pet owner to protect their pet and prevent them from going through this," Steele said.