An “aggressive” coyote that attacked a New Jersey man on Tuesday tested positive for rabies after it was euthanized.
The man was working in his yard in Saddle River around 6:30 p.m. when the animal knocked him down and bit him multiple times, police said.
The coyote was euthanized at the scene and sent off for testing, which later came back positive for rabies. The man was meanwhile treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The attack came on the same day that a second Saddle River man was bitten by a coyote while he was on a ladder outside. It’s unclear if the same animal was involved in those attacks, though officials said it’s unlikely.
The Tuesday incidents came just a day after another Bergen County resident and a dog were attacked in Woodcliff Lake, about three miles east of Saddle River.
A fourth attack occurred this week in Ho-Ho-Kus when a pet dog was killed by a coyote. Officials in the town did not issue an alert because the animal left the area after it was scared off by the dog’s owner.
“Due to recent events, we encourage residents to be aware of their surroundings while outside, especially in the presence of pets and children,” Saddle River police said in a statement. “Immediately report any sightings of sick or aggressive animals to our department.”
People who are bitten or scratched must immediately seek medical treatment, officials say.
