Dog Owner Resorts To Air Horn To Scare Off Coyotes After Attack

DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver woman is taking drastic action in an attempt to avoid another coyote attack on her dog.

Joanna Kabylafkas says a coyote jumped over her 7 foot fence last week and attacked the small pet in the backyard. It had the dog in its mouth within seconds.

"She was only out maybe two or three minutes and then I heard a scream," she said.

"I ran to the door -- I have chills when I think about it -- I opened the door and I scream her name and I saw (the coyote) zooming, he left," Kabylafkas said.

Shady has a few scars but she survived, and now Kabylafkas always sounds an air horn before the dog goes out.

"Your neighbors are fine with it?" CBS4's Jamie Leary asked.

"Oh yes," Kabylafkas said.

While coyotes aren't an uncommon sight in Kabylafkas' neighborhood, she said she was surprised a coyote would attack Shady.

Although Shady is small, she can be fierce and bark a lot when danger is near.

"She's a guard dog," Kabylafkas said with a laugh.

Or, she thinks she is. In reality, Shady's pretty affectionate most of the time and Kabylafkas says "that tail never stops going back and forth, she loves to kiss you."

With no foolproof way to keep out coyotes, she has started talking about solutions in her community.

"It's always (have the dog) on a leash. Before we take her out, we go out ourselves first. We make noise," Kabylafkas said.

Kabylafkas says she's prepared now and she wants to make sure other pet owners are, too.

"We can help each other," she said.