Coyote Carries Dog Out of Back Yard

A white, 8-year-old Maltese dog, on a leash in its back yard, was carried off by a coyote Thursday night as its owners watched in horror only a few feet away.

“Until it happens to you, you don’t know the pain,” said Susie Eiger, who has lived in her Woodland Hills home above Corbin Canyon for 12 years.

The dog, named Fluffy, had been a birthday present for Eiger’s 16-year-old daughter, Natalie.

Eiger’s 18-year-old son, Ronen, had brought the dog out into the back yard after the family finished dinner at about 7:30 p.m. Ronen Eiger said the dog was on the leash, but was roaming freely, though only a few feet away from him.

The coyote apparently was hiding in the back yard when the dog came out of the house, family members said. After snatching the dog, the coyote fled. Susie Eiger said she does not know how the coyote got into the yard, which is surrounded by three fences.

“If we knew this coyote was in the back yard, I would not have let him out,” said Eiger. Eiger, her son and their housekeeper saw the coyote grab the dog and they tried to chase it.

“Everyone needs to know this happened,” said Eiger. “I’ve been crying the whole night. I hope this story can help other families save their pets.”

Eiger said she had not reported the incident to city officials, but did tell her veterinarian about it. “Unfortunately, he had heard of this before,” she said.

In June, 1993, the city banned coyote trapping for financial reasons and because of the complaints of animal rights activists. The ban was modified in June so that homeowners who already have taken other steps to deter coyotes could pay $200, sign a waiver freeing the city from liability and have a trap installed on their property.

In the 12 months before the trapping ban started, residents reported 511 coyote complaints within the city, according to animal regulation officials. During the same period, coyotes were blamed for the deaths of 116 cats, 23 dogs and 50 other pets, the department said.