Small dog survives coyote attack caught on camera

Illinois family says pet owners should be careful

A coyote attacked an Illinois family's small dog in a suburban backyard in a brief and violent encounter that was caught on surveillance video Wednesday.

“When you are running to work and you let your dog out for 30 seconds before you go, you think that’s going to be okay,” owner Barnaby Dinges told WBBW.

In the video, Boozer the terrier is going outside when a coyote approaches from a distance. The coyote bites the dog and drags him with its teeth until Dinges' wife comes out and the animal runs away.

“I was very proud of Boozer in how he handled it and defended himself. And then my Wonder Woman wife came out to save the day, as she always does,” Dinges told WBBW.

Boozer has been a part of the family for about 15 years, Dinges told WBBW. The dog ended up with staples in his head, bite marks all over his body and an injured eye.

Dinges told WBBW that he shared the footage so pet owners could see how quickly things can happen.

“I don’t want anyone who has a pet they love to let their guard down. They’ll regret it. We got lucky,” Dinges told WBBW.