WEIRTON - After a family dog was attacked by a coyote, one local resident is speaking out to warn others.
Amanda Bailey of 339 Fairview St. in Weirton said a family dog was recently attacked by a coyote and later died. She said the dog, one of the family's five pets, was let out in the yard around 11 p.m. to take care of business and didn't come in right away.
"We didn't think anything of it because that was just her personality," she said.
Bailey said her husband walked away from the door to get a drink and came back and yelled for the animal again, but the dog never came. She said her husband walked out into the yard to see what was going on when he saw a coyote attacking the dog.
The coyote, she said, had the dog in its mouth when her husband decided to chase it off. She said the coyote jumped the fence, which encompasses the yard, and ran off.
Bailey said she's never had a problem like this before. She said police recommended a higher fence; however, she said she spoke with Christopher Croson, West Virginia Wildlife Services state director, who offered some advice on how to protect the remaining four family dogs.
"We've looked into getting spiked collars for the dogs to help protect them," she said.
Weirton Police Chief Bruce Marshall confirmed there was a complaint filed at the city police department. He said there is no way to tell if the coyote population is growing or if they are indeed the culprits involved in the incident. He said there are cases where one dog attacks other smaller dogs but coyotes shouldn't be ruled out.
Croson was not immediately available for comment on this incident or similar cases in West Virginia.
