Local coyote attack injures pet dog

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December 29, 2007

'I called for him, and I heard a faint sound"

By JEFF MEYERS The Press Republican Sun Dec 30, 2007, 12:31 AM EST

PLATTSBURGH -- When Dan Rugar let his dog, Spark Plug, out to play a few weeks ago, he never imagined the danger that lurked in the nearby woods.

Rugar, who lives in Plattsburgh but was watching a house for friends who live in Peru, was astonished at what he found just a few short minutes later.

ONLY 2 DOGS RETURN

"I was actually house sitting and dog sitting," Rugar said, explaining that he let Spark Plug and the two resident dogs outside for their morning duties. "The three dogs had been out together many times before this."

Rugar went to the kitchen to make some coffee and returned to the back door shortly to call the pets back in. The two resident pets, both larger dogs, were waiting at the door for their breakfast, but Spark Plug, a small terrier mix, was nowhere to be seen.

"I called for him, and I heard a faint sound," he said, noting that the noise was not even a whimper but was clearly Spark Plug. "I looked in that direction and saw two coyotes leaving the area."

Rugar immediately sprinted toward where he had first spotted the two coyotes, which had disappeared into the nearby woods. He found Spark Plug, limping and in shock from an attack that left him severely wounded.

"I would say that another 10 to 15 seconds, and he would have been dead," Rugar said of the luck he had in calling for his dog at that precise moment.

AGGRESSIVE COYOTES

This type of incident is not that uncommon and has become a serious problem in some parts of New York state, though the North Country has been somewhat immune to aggressive coyote attacks to this point.

"Up here, coyotes still have a healthy fear of humans," said Kenneth Kogut, director of the Wildlife Division for the Department of Environmental Conservation at Ray Brook, noting that hunting and trapping in the North Country help teach coyotes to stay clear of humans.

"In areas like the Hudson Valley, it has become a much bigger problem because they do learn to live near humans and do look to dogs and cats as a food source," he added. "It's not unheard of for coyotes to eventually come onto porches."

TRACKING ATTACKS

Although there are no recent reports of attacks on humans, Kogut said, attacks on people in other parts of the country have been recorded, and DEC's major focus locally is on human health.

"We are concerned with these animals looking at humans -- and especially young children -- as potential prey. We do want to know about any kinds of contact (such as an attack like Spark Plug's), so we can track and monitor these kinds of incidents."

BITES ALL OVER

Rugar's first thought as he looked down at his battered terrier was to get the animal to the vet as quickly as possible.

He said he never felt any anger toward the coyotes.

Bite marks covered the dog from his ears to lower abdomen, and a trail of blood in the snow marked the struggle the tiny dog put up to save his life against the much larger wild animals.

After an hour-and-a-half surgery later that day, Spark Plug spent the next few days at the vet's office until Rugar was able to take him home to help him complete his recovery.

"He's doing fine now," Rugar said of the pet, which he adopted from Elmore SPCA four years ago. "He sure is a lucky little guy."

The coyote population is very healthy throughout the state, including Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties. In fact, Rugar said he has found a coyote den close to where he lives on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

"You're going to see a coyote crossing the road or an open field," Kogut said. "That's not a concern. But once you see a coyote approaching your front porch, that's a whole different situation."

PRECAUTIONS

People should avoid putting food outside for their pets or any stray animals, he said.

Letting cats outside can also be a potential magnet for a hungry coyote, which can easily take down a domesticated feline.

Care should also be taken if putting a dog out unattended on a leash, Kogut added.

"Coyotes are very adaptable creatures. In the Adirondacks, they primarily feed on deer, but down in the valley, their main food source is smaller animals."

The eastern coyote, which can grow to the 50-pound range, is much larger than its western cousins, and research is under way to determine whether they are genetically tied to red wolves.

There are no "coy dogs," Kogut noted, explaining that coyotes may prey on dogs but will not mate with them.

jmeyers@pressrepublican.com