Crime & Safety

Dog in Coyote Attack Likely Dead in North Aurora, Police Say

The dog was never found and a body was never recovered.

The dog that was attacked by coyotes and taken away earlier this month in North Aurora is presumed dead, according to police.

The dog never returned and his body was never recovered, said Scott Buziecki, North Aurora deputy police chief.

A group of coyotes took the small dog away at about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 4 while he was in the owner's backyard in the 2800 block of Sterkel Road.

Find out what's happening in Bataviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In a coyote encounter, an owner or human's presence might make the difference.

Buziecki said he is not a coyote expert, but it appears that the wild animals went for the small dog in the Nov. 4 incident because it wasn't directly by its owner. That wasn't the case for another incident, which involved two coyotes and took place on Nov. 3 in a baseball field near Bauer Road and Schrader Lane.

Find out what's happening in Bataviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"They did not approach the human who was walking a small dog," Buziecki said. "I presume they were looking at the dog as a potential victim, but did not approach because of fear of the adult, who was much bigger than them."

Coyote sightings, encounters and attacks on small animals in the suburbs have increased in recent years.

"There was a coyote walking north on the walking path next to Kirk Road, just south of Wilson, on Friday, 11/2 around 4 p.m.," said Wendy Coyle on the Batavia Patch Facebook page. "They don't seem bothered by much."

Experts advise people to stand their ground if coyotes appear and either yell or throw things at the creatures. Keep pets leashed and report any sightings of aggressive coyotes to the local police department as soon as possible.

Related Stories


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.