Coyote Attacks 11-Year-Old Girl, Tries to Drag Her Away

A coyote attacked an 11-year-old girl at a Trans-Canada Highway rest stop and tried to drag her into a field.

According to Calgary Herald, Hailey Nyberg and her father, Dustin, and mother, Alyshia, were travelling back from Medicine Hat on December 26 when they pulled over a a rest stop. When Hailey got out of the vehicle, she saw something running toward her.

“I thought it was a dog, but instead it grabbed onto my leg,” said Hailey. “I screamed as loud as I could. I tried kicking it. It wouldn’t go away.”

Dustin ran to his daughter, screaming as he approached, but the coyote wouldn’t let go of Hailey. After an intense struggle, her parents eventually managed to get her into the vehicle and away from the coyote.

“It tried pulling her away three times into the field adjacent to the roadside pullout,” Dustin said.

Dustin said they’ve never worried about the coyotes they’ve seen near their home attacking them. But this one was different. It actually lunged at him after he put Hailey behind him.

“This one, he was a lot more aggressive than I’m used to,” Dustin said.

Hailey received medical treatment for five puncture wounds to her left calf. She also received shots for tetanus and rabies prevention.