The local coyote who reportedly attacked several children has been captured and euthanized, testing negative for rabies.
Between February 10 and February 13, three children were allegedly bitten by a coyote in Arlington, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The coyote thought to be responsible for the attacks has since been captured and humanely euthanized and tested negative for rabies, according to WFAA. However, Arlington Animal Services manager Ashley Woolnough stated that they are not “100 percent sure” they have the right coyote, but the animal’s aggressive behavior gives them reasonable assurance.
In recounting the incidents, emergency calls have been obtained and shared by WFAA. One caller said, “I have a little girl who just got attacked by a coyote,” the 911 caller said. “It’s a big coyote. It’s coming back. Oh Lord Jesus.”
The coyote “attacked the little girl on the playground and dragged her, like, in the woods, and her daddy went chasing after her,” the caller continued.
A caller describing another coyote attack incident told 911, “There’s a coyote here!” per WFAA. The six-year-old boy who was reportedly attacked during this incident can be heard crying in the background.
Residents have expressed concern for these aggressive coyotes, adding that there might be more than one coyote in their community. Resident Scott Raines commented on a social media post from the City of Arlington: “I woke up to two of my neighbors small dogs in my front yard deceased. My camera showed two coyotes at 1:10 this morning.”
Resident Rochelle Immel also commented on the city’s post, stating, “Coyotes are a problem in multiple areas of the city. As residents, we aren’t really allowed to do anything about it. 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 regarding urban wildlife states, “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. There are no laws requiring Arlington Animal Services (AAS) to respond to wildlife issues or remove wildlife perceived by some to be a problem,” per the city’s website.