Dog recovering after coyote attack in Coquitlam

Warning: This story may be disturbing to some viewers.

A Coquitlam woman and her dog are recovering after a harrowing ordeal.

They were both on the front steps of her townhouse, on Norman Avenue, when two coyotes came out of nowhere and brazenly snatched the dog away.

Vegas, an 8-year-old Maltipoo-mix, is just starting her recovery.

“They just grabbed her,” said Tammy McBride, Vegas’ owner. “It happened in a blink.”

Before turning in for the night, around 1 a.m. on Friday, McBride took Vegas outside to relive herself. They were in front of the townhouse, when a coyote, lurking in the bushes, grabbed the dog.

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Just moments later, a second coyote appeared.

The coyote punctured Vegas’ lungs, but she is expected to make a full recovery.

At the animal clinic where Vegas was treated, they say they often see animals injured by coyotes. Officials say owners can never let their guard down.

“Letting your dog even go in a fenced backyard, there is a risk because we do have urban wildlife that they may encounter an animal in your own backyard,” said Dr. Sara Dubois, chief scientific officer with the BC SPCA.

McBride says she will be warning her neighbours and reporting the incident to a conservation officer.

“It’s one thing to be out and about with your dog and have it come out of the woods, but when they’re coming right up to your doorstep? That’s pretty scary.”