Coyote Warning Issued After 'Aggressive Animal' Attacks Man In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township police are warning residents about coyotes after a township man received numerous stitches after he was bitten by an aggressive animal believed to be either a coyote or a dog earlier this week.

The encounter happened about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Manchester police Capt. Todd Malland said. The man, a 53-year-old Johnson Avenue resident, was walking his German shepherd in a wooded area near his home, Malland said.

The man was bitten several times and went to Ocean Medical Center in Brick for treatment, Malland said. Staff in the emergency department reported the incident to Manchester police about four hours after it happened, he said.

The investigation revealed the man received several bites, cuts and lacerations to both arms from what he described as “a large brown aggressive dog” he came upon in the woods, Malland said. Numerous stitches were required to close the wounds, he said.

The man told police he was surprised by the presence of the animal and was attacked without any provocation, Malland said.

There were no witnesses to the incident, and although an extensive neighborhood canvas was conducted by members of the police department, no one reported seeing an animal matching the description in the area. A few residents, however, reported hearing what they believed to be coyote calls off in the distance in the past, he said.

The incident is being investigated by Patrolman Kyle Rickvalsky along with the Manchester Township animal control officer and representatives of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Because the investigation has not been able to definitively determine whether the man was attacked by a dog or a coyote, the following public service announcement is being issued by the Manchester Township Police:

Coyotes are now raising their pups and can be more territorial as they guard their mates, dens, pups and food sources.

Coyotes can be found in any open space, parks, neighborhoods and even commercial areas. As people and their pets spend more time outdoors, the possibility of a coyote encounter increases.

Coyotes may try to escort you out of an area to protect their pups or food sources when you encounter them on a trail. Humans may perceive this behavior as stalking, which is usually not the case.

They may also view your pet as prey.

To let coyotes be wild while keeping yourself and pets safe, please follow these rules:

• Never feed coyotes—it is illegal to feed coyotes in most places. Feeding endangers your family and neighbors as it lures coyotes into neighborhoods.
• Keep unattended cats and dogs indoors or in completely enclosed runs, especially at night, and do not assume that a fence will keep a coyote out of your back yard.
• Accompany your leashed pet outside. Make sure you turn on lights if it is dark to check your back yard for unexpected wildlife.
• Keep dogs on short leashes while walking outside; the state Division of Fish and Wildlife recommends a leash no longer than 6 feet.
• Keep noisemakers such as whistles or horns on hand to scare away coyotes that may enter your yard.
• Don't run away or turn your back on a coyote.
• Do not allow a coyote to get in between you and your pet or child — keep children close to you.
• Yell, clap hands, blow a whistle and try to make yourself look larger if you have a close encounter with a coyote.
• Note where and when you have an encounter with a coyote. Coyotes often follow routines. Avoid this area in the future if the encounter was negative.

For more information about coyotes in New Jersey, check out the Division of Fish and Wildlife's coyote information page by clicking here.

Coyote, National Park Service photo