Another small dog snatched by a coyote in Massachusetts

A small dog was taken from a Milford yard this week — the latest in a string of coyote incidents across Massachusetts.

The incident took place Wednesday morning on Pine Island Road, Milford Animal Control said in a Facebook post.

“We are asking residents in the area who have smaller pets to be more vigilant when letting their pets out,” the department noted. “Dawn and dusk are optimal hunting times for Coyotes.”

A coyote attacked a Fall River woman while she was walking her dog on Monday, and earlier this month, Jamaica Plain residents raised alarms after spotting a coyote carrying a dead dog.

When someone commented below the Milford post that pet owners should never leave a small dog unattended in a yard, animal control responded that the owner had actually been outside with the dog, but “Coyotes are fast.”

The owners of the black and brown Chihuahua named Guido request that anyone in the area search their yards and surrounding property for any sign of his remains.

“The Araya family is looking for some closure,” animal control noted, adding that the department extends its condolences to them.

Sharon Vater-Araya told Boston 25 News that she didn’t immediately realize that a coyote had taken her beloved 9-year-old dog when she noticed he was gone.

“No, I didn’t; I was driving around with flashlights, walking around, trying to do everything,” she explained to the news station, adding that she figured out what happened when she saw blood in the woods.

“I’m just devastated and in shock,” she said.

Anyone with information related to this incident can contact animal control at 508-478-3871.