Winchester woman warning community of coyotes after her dog was attacked in backyard

WINCHESTER, Mass. — Cheerful videos and pictures are how Ace’s family wants to remember him. “So squishy and cuddly,” said Chloe Durant, dog owner.

Chloe Durant would rather forget very early this morning when she let the 11-year-old doggie out to do his business. “Within seconds he was howling and screaming, and I ran outside around the corner here and he was being dragged or something by it had to be a coyote,” said Durant. “I just didn’t expect this.”

She didn’t expect it because besides one spot six-foot-tall fences surround her Winchester yard and she has motion-activated lights.

“I heard an owl hooting last night and I was more worried about the owl than a coyote coming over here,” said Durant.

Coyotes are coming over. “Probably a week or so ago our neighbor’s dog was attacked and survived,” said Steve Kuhlman, dog owner.

Steve Kuhlman now keeps hazel and blue on a short leash. “We just have a rule we never let them outside by themselves and you try to be careful around dusk and dawn,” said Kuhlman.

Coyotes are more active at those times and according to wildlife experts, it is coyote mating season. The neighborhood is also near the wildwood cemetery where residents say there is a den.

“There’s not really much we can do because part of it is we are in their space too we are just going to be extra careful in the spring and fall,” said Kuhlman.

“I don’t want people to freak out I just can’t believe how fast it happened and I feel a little blindsided,” said Durant. She drove around looking for Ace, but she has resigned herself to the fact that he was likely not coming back. “If I still had him I would never do that again,” said Durant.

The neighborhood did experience coyote attacks on dogs and a few years ago, and they did not see them again until this year.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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