PHOENIX — Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife officers are actively searching for a coyote or coyotes that have bitten three people since Saturday in the area just east of Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix.
- On Saturday, a 4-year-old child was bitten on the lower leg while walking with family members.
- Also on Saturday, a man who was jogging in the same area was bitten by a coyote.
- This morning, a man was bitten on the heel by a coyote south of Happy Valley Road near I-17.
All three individuals received medical treatment and rabies shots. Game and Fish officers removed one coyote Sunday evening and are continuing to search the area.
Officers are also posting notices throughout the area, letting people know about the coyote issue. The public is advised to be aware of their surroundings and keep wildlife at a distance. To report any new coyote sightings in the area bordered by I-17 east to 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road north to Jomax Road, please call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 623-236-7201. In an emergency, call 911.
Coyote attacks on people do occur and have the potential to be serious. There have been 28 coyote attacks on people in the Phoenix metropolitan area in the past 26 years.
For information about how to avoid conflicts with coyotes, visit https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/living-with-wildlife/living-with-coyotes/.