Dog attacked by coyote in backyard – pet owner warns others

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — You never believe something like this could happen to you until it does. An Eastside family and their dog recently had quite a scare when a coyote snuck into their yard and attacked their Chihuahua.

Fortunately, the dog escaped alive, but the family is still afraid that the coyote might come back.

Jacqueline Aguilar | KGUN9

Ryan Snowden, Trudi’s owner, rushed to help his nine-year-old Chihuahua early this morning around 7:30 a.m. after hearing his very quiet dog “scream” like never before.

He says she was sunbathing in her usual spot when the attack happened.

Jacqueline Aguilar | KGUN9

“I came here through a back door and found it in the coyote’s mouth,” Snowden said.

Snowden did not hesitate to run outside immediately, disregarding his own safety.

“I was a little nervous because the situation was obvious and I didn’t have much time to think,” Snowden said. “The coyote was very large and I thought if it turned on me I would be in trouble.”

Jacqueline Aguilar | KGUN9

The encounter lasted only about a minute. When Snowden reached his backyard, the coyote ran away with Trudi in its mouth.

“I think it was because Trudi was bucking around a little bit and I screamed and ran away,” Snowden explained. “Trudi was able to get free and he (the coyote) just jumped over the fence.”

It’s a miracle that Trudi came out alive considering her size.

Ryan Snowden

“When you think about the size of a German Shepherd and add another one to that,” Snowden said, describing the coyote he saw that day. “I saw the muscles in his leg and he was pretty big.”

Trudi has resumed her normal routine of sunbathing after about two weeks of recovery. Snowden tells me that he now stays by her side every time she goes outside.

Jacqueline Aguilar | KGUN9

“Trudi is in pretty good shape now,” Snowden confirmed. “Tomorrow the stitches will be removed and she is slowly coming to. For a while she didn’t want to leave here at all.”

Snowden says he’s used to seeing coyotes in his neighborhood, but after Trudi’s attack, he’s in the process of installing barriers on his yard fence to keep any animals from getting in.

Jacqueline Aguilar | KGUN9

He also wants to encourage other pet owners to take this as a warning that predators can get into their yard even if there is a high fence or wall.