Coyote believed to have attacked jogger on North Shore

MARBLEHEAD - A jogger was believed to have been attacked by a coyote in Marblehead on Monday evening.

The incident was initially reported as a dog bite to a person jogging along Brown Street by the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Animal control has since determined that the animal was possibly a coyote.

The Marblehead Current reports that the jogger was a woman who threw rocks at the coyote and screamed for help, but it still went after her. She was treated at a hospital and began a rabies protocol as a precaution.

The "Marblehead Coyote Tracker" page run by animal control said a coyote being surprised by a runner could trigger a "fight or flight" reaction. It also said that if the coyote is rapid, its health will decline quickly.

Joggers are urged to be careful. Police, animal control and environmental officers will be monitoring the area.

"We are asking the residents on the Neck to be aware and to report any sightings of coyotes they may see during daylight hours for the next couple of days," police said.

Coyote safety in Massachusetts

There have been incidents of dogs facing off against coyotes in Massachusetts this year. MassWildlife says coyotes can be found in nearly every town in the state.

The agency says "the chance of being attacked by a coyote is extremely low." Anyone who encounters a coyote should try to scare it away by making loud noises, throwing objects near it or physically chasing it away to reinforce their natural fear of humans.