PHOENIX – A couple living near 24th Street and Camelback Road in central Phoenix is sounding the alarm for other pet owners after they lost two dogs to a coyote attack in their backyard.
What we know:
The Danfords say a coyote jumped up onto a six-foot wall and found its way into their backyard where their two senior dogs were.
Maggie and Nick Danford say their two dogs, Layla and Buddy, were part of their family for more than fourteen years, which included several moves and the births of their three kids.
“They started off as our children before we had our own kids,” Maggie said.
They’re mourning their fur babies after the coyote attack killed Layla and Buddy on Monday morning, June 16, a couple of hours after sunrise.
“Just came outside, took the trash out, saw Layla lying in the rocks, and usually she would sunbathe, so no big deal. When I came back, she was in the same position and I saw she had gone, and immediately looked to my right and saw Buddy, and he wasn’t moving either,” Nick said.
The couple is devastated by the loss, but also concerned since they had lived in central Phoenix for more than a decade and had yet to see a coyote near their home.
“Like anything, you never think it’s going to be you. You think that you’ve taken the precautions, or you think that you know the neighborhood. I don’t want this to be a fear thing, but if you see something, say something. We saw the coyote, and we were like, OK, it’s still out there, right?” Nick said.
Dig deeper:
Their message is one of awareness and caution for other dog owners in urban neighborhoods.
‘Hopefully people are a little more aware’
“The post that he made on Nextdoor, so many people commented, and you see, apparently it is a lot more prevalent in the city. I guess I wish I would’ve known a little bit more. Not that it’s our fault, or we would’ve done anything differently, but just hopefully people are a little more aware,” Maggie said.
It’s not just small dogs or pets that could become prey for coyotes.
Arizona Game and Fish says that larger dogs could be considered a threat to coyotes, leading them to become aggressive.
What you can do:
Click here for safety tips on living with coyotes from the Arizona Game and Fire Department.
Map of where the attack happened
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