PORTLAND, Ore. — A coyote that bit a 9-year-old child in Portland’s Alameda neighborhood last month was captured and humanely euthanized, Oregon wildlife officials said.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, two children – a 9-year-old and a 3-year-old – were playing hide-and-seek in their yard at 6:15 p.m. on October 23 when the attack happened.

The coyote approached the 9-year-old and bit them on the foot. The child was only wearing socks at the time and was able to shake their foot out of the sock and run away. Since the bit broke the skin, the child was treated for possible rabies.

PAST COVERAGE | Portlanders urged to take caution after coyote attacks 9-year-old child

ODFW worked with city, state, and federal partners to “capture the responsible animal,” which they found on October 31 less than a mile from the site of the attack.

They sent the child’s sock and a DNA sample from the coyote to California’s Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Forensics Lab to confirm it was the same one.

“We are grateful to our partners for their support and assistance in overcoming the challenges of animal capture in an urban area,” ODFW District Wildlife Biologist Dave Keiter said. “ODFW strives to prevent situations from escalating to the point where lethal removal is necessary.”

Oregon wildlife officials want people to know what to do if they encounter a coyote, like scaring away the “bold” ones and remove possible food sources to prevent future incidents like this.

We emphasize outreach and education about living with coyotes in urban areas. In this situation, lethal removal was required to restore public safety, and we are satisfied that the animal responsible for the attack was removed based on genetic evidence.

Coyotes are found all across our urban, suburban, rural, and natural landscapes in Oregon. Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and mainly eat rodents, fruit, and nuts but they will also consume whatever food they can find including food waste, pet food, and sometimes small pets like outdoor cats. It is not unusual to see coyotes in urban areas like Portland, even during the daytime. By following a few simple steps, we can all work together to keep people, pets, and coyotes safe.

Follow these tips:

Remove food sources. Never intentionally or accidentally feed a coyote.Don’t approach a coyote – scare away bold coyotes.Keep your pets safe (either supervised, on a leash, or inside).Monitor young children closely, especially in the Alameda neighborhood in Portland.Share these tips with your community.

Please immediately report concerning encounters and aggressive behavior towards people or pets to ODFW at 971-673-6000. Dial 911 in the event of an attack or other emergency.

Learn more about living with coyotes from the Portland Urban Coyote Project.