Close encounter with coyote leaves Tega Cay dog with bites

A coyote attack left a greyhound in rabies quarantine for 10 days and a Tega Cay family on edge.

Judy Forrest walks her two dogs, the greyhound and a rat terrier on the golf course near her Calloway Pines Drive home every day. That routine led to a scary encounter on a recent Saturday morning, she said.

“I turned and started walking and maybe took eight steps and (heard) this huge sound,” Forrest said. “I can't say it was a scream, I can't say it was a bark, I can't say it was a yelp, it was just a huge noise.”

It was Cubby, the greyhound, trying to get away from a coyote that was hot on his heels.

“The coyote was very close and I just told the coyote 'Get away from him!'” Forrest said.

Her order worked because the coyote turned and ran, but not without leaving several puncture wounds on the greyhound’s legs.

Forrest took her dogs home and after examining Cubby a little more closely she decided to take him to the vet, where was treated for eight superficial bites and, even though he is up to date on his shots, was then placed under a 10-day rabies quarantine out of an abundance of caution.

Forrest said the coyote she saw didn't appear rabid, but she'd rather be safe than sorry.

“We know we have a den of coyotes (in the area), and we've all talked about them, and all called police and told everybody about it, and nobody can do anything about it because they've never attacked anybody and they're shy,” she said.

Officer J.C. Hough of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in York County said rabies cases in wild animals are extremely rare and SCDNR is aware the coyotes are around. Hough said their numbers are growing.

“We don't really see coyote attacks very often, but the sightings have become more frequent because they're getting more populated in the area,” he said.

And while Forrest said she and her neighbors don't see coyotes every day, they spot them often enough.

“We see them on the street, we see them on the sidewalk, we see them down between our houses,” she said, “Those coyotes are right in amongst us.”

Hough said getting rid of coyotes in a densely populated area so difficult.

“We've spoken with the golf course before about doing some trapping, but the problem in that area is when you put out a trap for a coyote, it's a foothold trap, so you can't prevent other people's dogs from getting in it,” he said.

“The only other measure that's legal to take out coyotes is hunting them and with Tega Cay being so populated, that's kind of a touchy situation too because then you have to think about where the rounds are going and the safety behind that,” Hough said.

A local ordinance prohibits firearm use inside city limits.

Hough said residents can take some steps to limit coyote encounters.

“We tell people to try and keep their pets under watch, don't let them roam around, and put them up at night, put up your trash, put up your dog food because it all attracts coyotes,” he said.

As for Forrest, she said she plans on sticking to the walking trails, well away from the golf course area where residents believe the coyotes created a den.

“You get complacent, and I guess this was a wake up call for me,” she said.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 2:37 PM with the headline "Close encounter with coyote leaves Tega Cay dog with bites."