The community of Saugus is on alert as officials warn about a spate of coyote attacks that have left several dogs dead or injured. According to CBS Boston, there have been six attacks on dogs, and four canines didn't survive, one of which was Lisa Webster's dog, Sparky, who was fatally attacked in her yard. "The coyote came up right behind me, I didn't even see it coming," Webster stated. "He just got him in the neck area and just enough. I mean he was only 45 pounds and it got him hard enough to puncture."
These incidents have been happening close to marshland areas, with pet owners strongly being urged to supervise their pets closely and to keep their dogs on a short leash. Meghan Crawford, a MassWildlife biologist, explained that the uptick in sightings can be mainly attributed to young coyotes leaving their den to find new territories. "We do tend to get reports of an increase in sightings of coyotes just because those young coyotes are being kind of pushed out of their family units and are going to go find their own space," she said in an interview obtained by CBS Boston.
In an additional statement obtained by 7NEWS, another resident, Paul Serino, expressed his concern about the predator's boldness, saying, "I’ve never seen it this bad." Serino added that some attacks have even occurred during broad daylight, emphasizing the need for caution regardless of a dog's size.
Saugus Animal Control is now stepping forward to advise residents to take greater caution to protect their pets, especially as coyotes start looking to bulk up food reserves with winter on the horizon. Precautions suggested include always making sure to check your property for coyotes before letting dogs out and using noise as a deterrent. Such measures have become necessary, as even the presence of humans does not seem to effectively scare off these bolder coyotes.
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