Arlington officials have captured the coyote allegedly responsible for biting three local children.
The City of Arlington first reported that it was attempting to locate a coyote that had allegedly bitten two children in Parkway Central Park in North Arlington. The city’s first reported bite occurred on February 10, with a second reported bite occurring on the evening of February 13. Officials later discovered that a third child had been bitten on Monday, February 12.
Although officials believe the same animal is responsible for all three biting incidents, it appears that multiple coyotes reside in the park. WFAA recently posted a video of the park showing three coyotes running in the park in the early morning hours of February 14.
An Arlington park was shut down after two children were believed to be bitten by a coyote. This morning, our photographer Mike Forbes spotted 3 coyotes running through the park.
Updates: https://t.co/5B54qH9Rq0 pic.twitter.com/Ewfa7jCAdu
— WFAA (@wfaa) February 14, 2024
Arlington Animal Services attempted to locate and trap the animal after the first reported bite, but their attempts were unsuccessful. Officials closed the park after the second reported bite. Animal Services officers and local police searched the park, intending to tranquilize the coyote, but were unable to locate it.
Resident Scott Raines commented on a Facebook update from the city that he had woken up to both of his neighbor’s dogs dead on his front lawn and discovered two coyotes on a security camera early that morning.
“Coyotes are a problem in multiple areas of the city. As residents, we aren’t really allowed to do anything about it,” added commenter Rochelle Immel on Facebook. “We’ve contacted the city, the mayor, our councilman, etc., about this being a possibility, and our concerns were left unanswered or brushed aside.”
The city’s policy on local wildlife affirms that most wildlife are allowed to run free, noting that they are a common and important part of the ecosystem.
“Arlington does not own or have control of any of the wild animals found within its boundaries, nor is the City responsible for the actions or damage caused by them. In fact, wild animals have no owners to be responsible for their actions, and therefore cannot be regulated in any way,” reads the city’s website. “There are no laws requiring Arlington Animal Services (AAS) to respond to wildlife issues or remove wildlife perceived by some to be a problem.”
However, the website added that AAS responds to situations where public safety is being jeopardized.
The city announced on February 15 that it had captured the animal supposedly responsible for the bites near the park after it charged an animal control officer and a police officer during school drop-offs. Officials said that the animal would be taken away to be tested for rabies and humanely euthanized.
The animal has since tested negative for rabies, and the remaining coyotes have demonstrated no “concerning behavior,” according to an update from the city on February 16. However, Parkway Central Park will remain closed until February 20.
