Wildlife officers from the Arizona Game and Fish Department removed two coyotes from the vicinity of Thomas and Hayden roads in Scottsdale Wednesday evening after receiving reports of an attack on a person walking his dog.

A third party reported that the coyote had gotten into an altercation with the dog, and the owner was nipped by the coyote when he attempted to intervene, according to a press release. The reporting party said one or more coyotes have been behaving increasingly aggressively toward humans in the area in recent weeks, but this is the first attack.

Wildlife officials have been present in the area and are actively monitoring the situation.

Coyotes that have attacked or exhibited aggressive behavior toward people are deemed a public safety threat, and the department took action to remove them. The two adult coyotes that were removed were euthanized and sent to a lab for rabies testing. Those test results are pending.

The public is advised to be aware of their surroundings and keep wildlife at a distance. This is a time of year when coyotes have young pups and can exhibit aggressive behavior in defense of dens, especially towards domestic dogs. Oftentimes, coyote dens are close to communities and populated areas where there is potential for negative interactions.

To report any aggressive coyote behavior in the area, call AZGFD at 623-236-7201. In an emergency, call 911.

Coyote attacks on people do occur and have the potential to be serious. For information about how to avoid conflicts with coyotes, visit https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/living-with-wildlife/.