A coyote tries to take his dog away (Video)

Dog owners who live in areas frequented by coyotes tend to learn how to avoid attacks rather quickly — either through careful preventative measures or through unfortunate experiences. Chico the Chihuahua is — remarkably — alive and well after escaping the clutches of a coyote in an attack captured on camera. The entire incident was captured on home surveillance video. In broad daylight at 11 a.m., a brazen adult coyote meandered into the Chatsworth backyard of Kerri and Larry Ruiz. In mere seconds, the coyote chomped down on the hapless Chihuahua, who was unable to fight back.

The owners could be heard in distress on surveillance video when their dog was under attack, “They took Chico! Oh my God! The coyote just took Chico!” Kerri saw it go down from her kitchen window. Hysterical with fear, Kerri had run screaming into the bedroom. Her husband Larry and their son had taken off across the yard in pursuit. But by then, the coyote had jumped a brick wall and into a neighbor’s yard. That’s when Kerri remembered she had a hand-held air horn. Larry started putting them around the house years ago. “One at every single door,” Larry said. “Because we know they’re around. We know this is coyote country.”

The couple managed to scare the coyote off

Petrified by the sound, the coyote decided to drop Chico and run. The pup only suffered some puncture wounds and a broken rib. After a visit to the vet and an annoying plastic head cone, he healed up just fine a few weeks later. The Ruizes said there’s a lesson here for all pet owners – and it’s really quite simple. “Never, ever, ever let their animals outside unattended,” Kerri said. Coyotes hunt 24/7, says larry. They say your backyard and your wall are no protection, not even sunlight. They don’t blame the coyotes. They said they’re just wild animals, looking for food. But pet owners need to be smart about that, they said. Watch the video, the chihuahua is alive and well after a terrifying attack by the coyote.