Park Rider Injured in ‘Freak’ Coyote Attack

Animal control officers set traps Sunday in a remote area of Agoura Hills in an attempt to catch three coyotes that allegedly attacked a man on horseback Saturday.

Michael Rizzo, 42, said he was attacked by the animals while riding on a trail in Cheesebro Canyon Park, not far from his Agoura condominium.

Rizzo suffered two puncture wounds and scratches on his right arm and began a series of anti-rabies shots, according to officials at Westlake Community Hospital.

Rizzo said he was riding on a firebreak road in an area of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area at about 8 p.m. Saturday when he noticed a small coyote walking alongside him on a nearby ledge.

“I saw the coyote and said, ‘No big deal, that’s not unusual for them to trot alongside of you and never even bother you,’ ” Rizzo recalled, adding that he rides on the trail once or twice a week.

But then he saw two more coyotes, who at 35 to 40 pounds were considerably larger than the first.

“The two coyotes began nipping at the horse’s legs, scrambling on the horse like a cat working on a scratching post,” Rizzo said. “Then the first one jumped up and was hanging onto my arm, trying to get up.”

Rizzo said his horse “either kicked or stepped on” one of the coyotes.

The ensuing struggle lasted “just a few seconds,” before he fought the animals off, Rizzo said. He then checked his horse, who suffered only minor scratches, and returned home. His wife took him to the hospital.

Los Angeles County animal control officers and other wildlife experts Sunday said they are baffled by the attack. Coyotes have been known to attack small animals, like dogs or cats, but rarely humans.

The last time a coyote attacked a human was in 1981, when a Glendale girl was fatally mauled. Recent non-fatal attacks on children have occurred in Burbank, Westlake Village and San Clemente.

“It’s very strange for this to happen and we hope it’s isolated,” said Animal Control Officer Rick Pokorny. “This is the first time this has happened as far as we know. Basically, the coyotes are coming down from the hills because it’s so dry and they are looking for water.”

Concurring was wildlife biologist Jeff Franklin, who has studied the area extensively. He said coyotes are numerous in the canyon, but he has never heard of an attack on humans there.

“It sounds like a very isolated incident, somewhat of a freak incident,” he said.

The coyotes could not have been hunting for food, as ground squirrels and other rodents are abundant in the area, he said.

No Reason for Attack

“We don’t know if the individual riding the horse was aggravating them,” Franklin said. “It seems like they were aggravated someway. But there’s no reason in the world they would be attacking this man and his horse for feeding purposes. That’s a total impossibility. There’s just so much food there.”

“In my experience whenever there is an attack, it’s directly related to the fact that someone in the area was handing out food for extended periods of time,” Franklin said. “Coyotes become more accustomed to the presence of people in the area and thus are less afraid and become somewhat dependent on easy food supply. When they don’t get it, they become aggravated.”

Animal control officers originally speculated that a controlled burn conducted in the area may have burned a coyote den, angering the animals. But the only den found near the area would not have been big enough for three coyotes.

Franklin said that the dens are rarely used by full-grown coyotes, and are generally used while pups are too young to walk on their own.

Local residents also questioned how such an attack could have occurred and questioned the veracity of the report.

Report Not Doubted

However, Pokorny said, “We definitely believe the attack occurred, it’s been almost confirmed. We never doubt anyone, we always take precautions and Rizzo is an experienced rider and he knows the difference between a coyote and a dog.”

Pokorny said he set two traps about 50 yards from the site of the attack. Park officials will check the 3 1/2-foot traps, which contain dog food as bait, every 12 hours. If any animals are caught, county health officials will take blood samples to test for rabies.

Meanwhile, Pokorny said, the park will remain open. But he added that equestrians will be cautioned to ride in pairs.