Police kill coyote at Lake Accotink
A Fairfax County police officer shot and killed a coyote that bit three adults and two dogs at Lake Accotink Park this weekend.
Police had received a call 8 a.m. on June 5 about the coyote attack, said Lt. Dan Spital in a video posted on Twitter.
Police and animal control officers searched the area with help from the police helicopter and requested the Park Authority close the park, Spital said. They searched all day on Saturday and couldn’t find the coyote.
Then on Sunday morning, residents in the area of Carrleigh Parkway in Springfield reported seeing a coyote biting tires on parked cars. “That is indicative of rabid behavior,” Spital said.
Related story: Coyote kills dog in Parklawn area
While police and animal control officers were searching that area on Sunday morning, “the coyote snuck up behind an officer and bit him on the lower extremity. The officer discharged his weapon several times, and did kill the coyote,” Spital said.
The coyote is going to be tested to see if it has rabies, although the police suspect that it does. The officer and the three community members who were bitten by the coyote are expected to make a full recovery.
UPDATE, 6/8/22: Lab tests confirmed the coyote had rabies.
The police should not be responding to this as they are not trained as animal handlers. Animals should be handled by animal control. People should be handled by social workers. If an animal control worker was there, the coyote wouldn’t have been murdered.
Yes! The coyote should have been arrested and afforded his constitutional rights.
I’m sorry, what do you think they were going to do with a rabid coyote, treat it?
Rabid animals are a danger to humans and to other animals. Doesn’t matter who was there, that animal needed to be put down. Good job Fairfax County Police!
According to The Humane Society of the United States:
“A coyote who has bitten a person will have to be specifically targeted and removed from the population. Most health departments will mandate testing for rabies, which requires that the offending coyote be killed.”
Rabies is reportedly rare among coyotes, but biting several humans and tires (!) is a n establishable sign that this coyote was rabid–and test results did confirm it. A case of rabies is absolutely not justification for killing of other coyotes, but it was the right thing to do to this particular animal. Coyotes can be immunized against rabies, but not cured of it. One of the best ways to prevent rabid coyotes is vaccinating dogs.
If you’re implying that the police are tasked to respond to too many different situations, some of which they’re not trained for, then I agree, but this was a matter of public safety. You don’t know if the officer that was attacked was a police officer or animal control (does animal control carry firearms?). Either way, there’s not too many ways to “handle” a rabid coyote other than what they did.
These coyotes are invasive and often are wolf-coyote hybrids on the East coast. They are dangerous to people, pets and livestock. My ex was losing a lamb every day on his farm in central Virginia after the coyote population mushroomed. We’ve had coyotes grab pers who were on a leash being walked. They should not be allowed to flourish.