Animal control has yet to find the animal
MARQUETTE -- Wildlife is part of living in the U.P., but one Marquette resident didn't ask for this.
"I put one of my dogs out to go to the bathroom for the night around a quarter after ten, and the other dogs in the house started barking, and I went outside and my dog was done being attacked by a coyote," says Donna Lancour of Marquette.
Little Motley, a chihuahua, was found dead with its neck broken. Afterwards, Donna says she saw the coyote pacing across the street.
Police say coyotes usually prey on smaller animals. Motley was only six pounds.
"Easy prey, that's what they are," says David Schneiderhan, Marquette Animal Control officer.
Schneiderhan says this is the first time he's had a case like this, but the DNR says coyotes are actually drawn to well populated, residential areas.
"Coyotes are very adaptable to their environment. It is not uncommon to find coyotes in and around the city of Marquette; they're very secretive, they can utilize multiple food sources," says DNR Wildlife Biologist Brian Roell.
The odds of the coyote being caught are slim. So what can you do to protect your pet? Eliminate all food sources, cover your trash, keep pet food inside, and when taking your pet outside at night, turn the lights on and make noise.
As for Donna, she says she'll never leave her other two dogs unattended like she did Motley.
"He was a good dog...and that's not something you want to go outside and see, that's for sure," Donna says.
If you see a coyote, contact your local police station.
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