Wild Animal Makes Off With Family's Nine-Pound Dog In Burlington

BURLINGTON, MA -- A wild animal that may have been a coyote snatched a nine-pound dog from a backyard on Winn Street in Burlington Thursday. Police responded to the call at 8 pm Thursday night. They searched the wooded area behind the house but were unable to locate the wild animal or the Maltese.

"This was a very unfortunate situation where a resident lost her beloved pet," Burlington Police Chief Michael Kent said. The department issued a list of safety tips for protecting pets from coyotes, fisher cats and bobcats, all of which can be found in wooded areas of Burlington and all of which have been known to prey on family pets.

To prevent attacks and the loss of a pet, police recommend the following:

• Leash pets at all times if outdoors. Small cats and dogs are seen as prey and larger dogs, competition.
• Do not approach, feed, pet, or try to interact with wildlife.
• Don’t hesitate to scare or threaten wild animals with loud noises or bright lights.
• Cut back brushy edges, as these areas provide cover for wild animals and their prey.
• Secure your garbage. Coyotes raid open trash materials and compost piles. Secure your garbage in tough plastic containers with tight-fitting lids and keep them in secure buildings when possible. Take out trash when the morning pick up is scheduled, not the previous night. Keep compost in secure, vented containers, and keep barbecue grills clean to reduce attractive odors.
• Keep bird feeder areas clean. Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground, as the seed attracts many small mammals coyotes prey upon. Remove feeders if coyotes or other wild animals are regularly seen around your yard.

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Patch file photo via Collins93/Shutterstock.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).