A Surprise mother and her 4-year-old daughter are recovering after a coyote attacked them Sunday afternoon, prompting Arizona Game and Fish Department officers to remove several coyotes from the area for testing.
Arizona Game and Fish told Arizona’s Family that the incident was the first recorded coyote attack on a person in the Valley since December 2023. The agency said the reason for the animal’s unusually aggressive behavior remains unclear.
The attack occurred Sept. 6 while the mother and child were outside flying a kite in their Surprise neighborhood. According to the family’s account, the coyote first went after the child. Her mother picked her up, yelled at the animal and tried to drive it away. The coyote continued approaching and eventually bit the mother in the face during the struggle.
The mother suffered facial lacerations and puncture wounds. The two were eventually able to retreat to their home. West Valley Post is not publishing their names or a more precise residential location because neither is necessary to explain the public-safety issue.
Wildlife officers remove coyotes
Arizona Game and Fish public affairs liaison Alex Flickinger told Arizona’s Family that officers removed several coyotes from the area and were testing them for rabies. Officials had not publicly established which animal was responsible for the attack in the latest available reporting.
The department’s current coyote guidance says most coyotes avoid people, but animals that become comfortable around humans can pose a greater risk. If a coyote approaches, residents should keep eye contact, avoid turning and running, make loud noises, wave objects and move toward other people, a building or another active area.
Arizona Game and Fish says residents can reduce attractants by securing garbage, removing outdoor pet food and water, picking up fallen fruit and supervising small pets. Feeding wildlife other than birds and tree squirrels is unlawful in Maricopa County under Arizona law.
If a coyote attacks a person, the department advises calling 911 and seeking medical attention immediately. Aggressive wildlife can also be reported to Arizona Game and Fish at 623-236-7201.
What remains unknown
As of 10:12 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, officials had not publicly identified why the coyote attacked or announced that the specific animal responsible had been located. The outcome of rabies testing on the removed coyotes had not been announced in the available reporting.
West Valley Post will update this story if Arizona Game and Fish releases a material finding about the animal involved, rabies testing or additional public-safety measures.
Sources: Arizona’s Family, including on-record information from the Arizona Game and Fish Department; ABC15 Arizona; Arizona Game and Fish Department coyote guidance.
Featured image is a representative archival photograph of an Arizona coyote and does not depict the animal involved in the Surprise attack. Photo: Henry from Arizona via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
