26 March 2023 , 11:39
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This is the terrifying moment a coyote mauled a toddler on a driveway while his distracted mum was unloading the car.
Surgeon Kelly Pirozzi, from Arizona, US, was left stunned after her 21-month-old son was knocked down and bitten by a coyote on Wednesday afternoon.
CCTV footage captured the moment the animal creeps up on the toddler before grabbing hold of the boy's arm.
The coyote then releases the boy's arm after he starts to scream as his mum turns around and ushers her son indoors after he suffered minor bite marks.
Mrs Pirozzi said the attack "happened so quickly" but thankfully he didn't suffer any further injuries.
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The toddler walks across the driveway just moments before being attackedThe attack comes just three days after a coyote mauled a boy near a school playground half a mile away from Mrs Pirozzi's home.
The boy had "scrape marks on his stomach", according to Darren Julian, an urban wildlife specialist with Arizona Game and Fish, who believes the attacks are linked to the same coyote.
He said the recent attacks are unusual as there haven't been any in the Phoenix area since 2017.
However, he warned parents to remain "extra vigilant" - even in their own gardens.
The coyote is seen sneaking up on the drivewayArizona's Game and Fish Department said in a statement that this "coyote shows little fear of people and may have been illegally fed in the past."
The Game and Fish Department confirmed it is patrolling the area with help from Scottsdale police following the recent incidents.
Cops have told people living in the areas to keep their pets indoors with coyotes known to prey on cats, dogs or other smaller animals.
Meanwhile, a puppy in Oklahoma, Texas, US, had a lucky escape after being attacked by a coyote on March 18.
The animal burst into the back garden where the puppy was staying along with two huge foster dogs.
Kelly Pirozzi was unpacking the car when she heard her son screamOwner Nicole Donohue said she didn't believe a coyote would be brave enough to enter her fence.
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She told Fox23: “I just never would have thought that a coyote would be bold enough to get into my yard. But clearly, they're not scared of how big your pets are. They're not scared of you.
"I have a privacy fence primarily through the yard. I've got a part that's chain link. They can clearly jump in.
"One of these coyotes is around the same size as my 100-pound dog and so he could very easily jump a fence, grab a puppy or cat.”
Nicole immediately rushed to her puppy who was found in a pool of blood and with bite marks.
Thankfully, the puppy was still alive, she said: “She immediately squealed and was alive. And I'm balling, of course."
The animal was taken to a vet for treatment and is now on the mend, according to Nicole.