ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Health and Human Services workers say a now-euthanized coyote, thought to be responsible for three attacks in Arlington, tested negative for rabies.
Arlington police Sgt. Eric Belisle shot the animal with foam rounds Thursday morning, stunning the coyote and allowing animal control to capture it.
"Following these reports, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Wildlife Services surveyed the park overnight. USDA staff did not observe any coyotes within the park space, but they did observe two coyotes in the surrounding area. The coyotes did not display any concerning behavior at that time, and the USDA staff does not consider them a threat to the public at this time," a press release read.
WFAA crews witnessed crews remove the animal from the Parkway Central Park in North Arlington around 7:30 a.m. Thursday. The park will remain closed until Tuesday, Feb. 20.
"The encounter I had with that coyote is so unusual," Belisle said. "I've been doing this for 18 years, on the streets, and I've never seen a coyote that's not skittish around human beings."
Belisle said the animal came within ten yards of him and howled before he fired the non-lethal weapon, typically used to stun people who've barricaded themselves from police.
WFAA video shows animal control crews using catch poles to walk the animal to a vehicle.
Arlington Animal Services manager Ashley Woolnough said she cannot be "100 percent sure" the male animal captured Thursday is responsible for the attacks, but its aggressive behavior leads her to believe it is the culprit.
Wildlife biologists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are now combing the park, looking for other coyotes and assessing their behavior. Woolnough said she hopes the aggressor's capture this morning will prompt the remaining coyote population to be more wary of humans.
"We have to coexist with them," she said. "We're not going to get rid of all of them. We want to make sure we reinforce the fear of humans so they don't become habituated."
Woolnough said the captured coyote did not behave like a rabid animal. Instead, she suspects it'd become too comfortable with humans.
"They have started associating people with food" they sometimes leave behind, Woolnough said. "Whether it's people out for picnics, leaving trash, whatever it may be. That's habituating these animals to say, 'People equal food. People equal easy food.' So what they're doing is losing that fear and saying, 'I can get an easy meal I can just get and go.'"
"Public safety is what is important here," Woolnough said. "We want our parks open, obviously, but we want our people to be safe."
The city Wednesday installed barricades at park entrances and placed digital message board electronic signs reading "Beware coyote activity" along the park perimeter.
Out of an abundance of caution, animal control and police officers patrolled outside the park Thursday. They acted as a "buffer" between wildlife and students walking outside the nearby Jones Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language, Belisle said.
Arlington Code Compliance Director Brian Daugherty says coyote sightings are common, but aggressive coyote encounters are rare.
“Public Safety is our priority and the City of Arlington had not previously experienced any coyote attacks. Coyotes and other wildlife are now part of our urban environment, and we need to find the best way to coexist,” Daugherty said. “There are always measures to take when walking paths and neighborhoods when you could come into contact with wildlife. Should you encounter wildlife, be sure to not engage with them and definitely do not feed them. Should you feel threatened be sure to make yourself as large as possible and appear intimidating. You can also bring whistles, air horns and walking sticks as an added deterrent.”
For more information on coyotes in DFW, click here. Arlington residents can also make an online report of a wildlife sighting in Arlington by visiting the City’s Action Center webpage and scrolling down to “Wildlife Sighting.”
“If you do spot wildlife, we encourage you to report it on our website so it can be appropriately tracked and addressed with our Animal Services staff,” Daugherty said.
All three children that were bitten at the park or in the parking lot between Saturday, Feb. 10 and Tuesday, Feb. 13 have been treated for their injuries and have been released from the hospital, city officials say. They will all receive post-exposure rabies treatment.
Estreitta De Kluetz witnessed the Feb. 13th attack. De Kluetz told WFAA she was at the park's playground with her four-year-old son when she heard a mother scream. De Kluetz saw a coyote attacking a young boy. De Kluetz said she dialed 911 and stayed with the six-year-old boy until medical staff arrived.
"It bit and was trying to drag him," De Kluetz said. "It bit his left side, by his shoulder and there was blood all down that soaked his shirt."
Wednesday, De Kluetz and her son were still shaken. They've frequented the park several times, but don't plan to return.
"It could've been my kid just five minutes earlier," De Kluetz said.
Arlington Animal Services initially set a trap at the park after being notified that a child had been bitten by a coyote there on Feb. 10. Searches for the coyote were unsuccessful, however. On Feb. 13, the city closed the park and Animal Services set additional traps and conducted patrols for the animal after receiving notification that another child was bitten that day. City officials have since learned that another child was bitten while visiting the park on Feb. 12.
That child was Thomas Mwalo's son, Trevor.
"It is still scary," Mwalo told WFAA Wednesday.
Mwalo recounted the moment he rushed to his son's rescue. The animal didn't back down, according to Mwalo.
"That is one on the horrifying moments, seeing your child being held down with an animal," Mwalo said.
His son suffered a puncture wound and several scratches. He'll undergo rabies treatment Thursday, which also happens to be his fourth birthday.
"He is still terrified," Mwalo said. "He doesn't even want to go outside the house."
For more information on coyote sightings in Dallas, click here. A map of coyote sightings in Dallas can be found here. Frisco has also launched its own map for coyote sightings here.
Thursday, city officials said Parkway Central Park will remain closed until further notice. Arlington PD will continue patrolling the area during school pick-up and drop-off to ensure kids are safe, a city spokesperson said.