Phoenix woman recounts moments when coyote jumped a fence and attacked her dog

Coyote jumped fence at Phoenix home and attacked puppy

A Phoenix woman is recounting a harrowing ordeal, after a coyote jumped the home fence and attacked her dog. Similar incident have happened in the Phoenix area. FOX 10's Irene Snyder reports.

PHOENIX - Coyote attacks on animals can happen not only in the rural parts of Arizona. It can also happen in urban areas.

Now, a Phoenix area dog owner is recounting the terrifying moment she heard her dog scream from help, as a coyote on the prowl attacked her pet.

For several moments, Jennifer Chiu thought she had lost her dog, Stella.

"I was just like she's a goner," said Chiu.

Stella was out in the backyard when Chiu and her husband heard a piercing scream.

"We're like, 'oh my gosh! Something's wrong,'" Chiu recounted.

The coyote had jumped the fence, crept up, and then run after the unsuspecting dog.

"We just ran outside as fast as we could, started screaming," said Chiu. "I could see from across the yard, there was a coyote, and Stella just rumbling in the dirt. All I could see was a big dust cloud."

Chiu and her husband chased the coyote away. Stella survived, but was left with a puncture mark on her neck, as well as on her collar.

This certainly is not the first time a coyote attacked a pup in a backyard. One surveillance video shows a coyote leaping the fence in an urban neighborhood. In this case, the puppy escaped through the dog door.

Laura Hackett with Liberty Wildlife says coyote attacks are a concern for pet owners year around, especially at dawn and dusk.

"If you have a smaller animal, I would suggest keeping an eye on them," said Hackett. "If you have a doggie door, make sure it's closed during dawn and dusk, nighttime. That's when the coyotes are more active."

As for Chiu, she is taking all precautions moving forward, and is just so grateful to have her little girl.

"I just kept thinking all day: 'What if we didn't hear her? Came out a few seconds later?'" said Chiu. "It was so sad. I'm tearing up, but she was fine."

Experts also gave tips for keeping coyotes out of yards, such as not leaving food out, and install flashing lights or anything that would move around the yard, in order to make them think there are people around.