Wounded Atwater Village Coyote Found and Euthanized

The coyote had bitten a 16-month-old child in Atwater Village the previous month. On October 16, California wildlife officers shot the animal near Glenhurst Avenue and later said it had died. But they did not find its body, and a search dog could not locate it. Officials said they believed the coyote had succumbed to its injuries based on the evidence then available.

Residents later saw the animal back in the neighborhood, limping and still approaching people. Neighbors had described problems with the coyote for months, including reports that it came onto properties and chased a cat. On November 10, state wildlife and federal agriculture officers returned after receiving information about its location and found it. State officials said they euthanized it because it remained a public safety threat.

Officials had said DNA samples linked the coyote they shot to the toddler’s bite. Rich Dean, a resident who had been communicating with a state wildlife officer, said he had sent the officer videos and then a location pin after spotting the animal at a construction site. He criticized agencies’ handling of the situation and said residents should have been told officers were unsure the coyote was dead.

A neighbor who had watched the injured animal said the episode was frustrating, while also expressing sympathy for the coyote. Officials previously said a person accused of feeding the animal could face a criminal charge.