Coyote attacks dog near Ecclestone Park in Kirkland

A coyoteattacked a small dog in KirklandTuesday night when its owner was taking it for a walk nearEcclestone Park.

Nathalie Bouchardsaid she regularly walksher dog, a Chihuahua mix namedBuffy,late at night.

"From out of nowhere I heard her scream and I saw a coyote was on top of her. It was coming out of the pathway at the park," Bouchard told CBC News.

• West Island coyote population on the rise

She said a neighbour came in an SUV and told her to get in so they could get to safety.Buffysuffered minor injuries to her back legs.

Bouchard was shaking as she tried to call 911.

She is worried this might happen to other dog owners.

"He was not scared of me. He wanted my dog."

Kirkland on the lookout

Kirkland is activelyworking to trap the coyotes which started appearing in the city earlier this spring.

According to the Kirkland'sdirector general,Joe Sanalitro, the city has set up strategic traps and have hired someone to try to catch the coyote.

The city is also drafting a memo to tell residents about the attack and advise them to keep their dogs on a short leash.

They are hoping to catch the coyote and release it outside the city.

Sanalitro said it's a tricky situation since for every resident who wants the coyote caught, there's another who wants it to be left alone.

"Once we've caughtit, and once we've released it somewhere, we'll let people know that we've done that,"Sanalitro said.

Sanalitro said he's heard that there are as many as 1,000coyotes on the island of Montreal but he believes there is only one in Kirkland.

• Fearless fox worriesVaudreuil-Dorionresidents