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Brookline issues coyote warning after 2 attack dog

Brookline residents are on alert after a string of bold coyote encounters.

BILL BYRNE *2008 Bill Byrne

The Brookline Police Department issued a warning to residents Tuesday following an increase in reported coyote sightings and interactions in the city.

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Two coyotes, emerging from a wooded area, attacked a dog Monday, police said. The owner was able to free the dog and leave the area.

“The mere presence of a coyote alone is not cause for concern, however, as the above example proves, it’s always best to maintain awareness and distance,” the department said in the advisory, which it shared on Facebook

WCVB reported three other recent coyote incidents in Brookline. A resident and her two dogs were chased up her driveway by two coyotes, another resident’s dog was bit by two coyotes while on a walk, and a third resident found a coyote lounging by the fire pit in her backyard. 

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“Now they don’t really run away anymore, they just kind of sit there and watch you,” Gaby Guzman, who found the coyote in her backyard, said to WCVB.

Police advised residents who see a coyote to stay calm, stand tall, and make noise. The department affirmed Guzman’s observation that the coyotes are becoming more comfortable. 

“Coyotes that spend a lot of time around people or regularly feed on human-associated food can become habituated and exhibit bold behavior toward people and domesticated pets,” police said. 

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