Cat saves dog from coyote attack

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - Lilly, a 12-year-old pug from Middletown, survived a coyote attack this week and she may have an unusual ally to thank.

Gary Paquette had just let Lilly into the yard when all of a sudden, a coyote went on the attack. It happened Tuesday around 5 a.m. on White Terrace in Middletown.

Paquette didn't know anything was wrong until the family cat started to act strange and began jumping on the sliding glass door.

"I opened the door and could hear a struggle," Paquette said. "I grabbed a flashlight that was on the table and a stick and I ran out screaming my head off."

When he got outside, Paquette found his little black dog in the jaws of a coyote, who jumped a three-foot fence to get into the yard.

Paquette was able to startle the coyote, who ran around the yard a few times before then jumping back over the fence and taking off.

Lilly survived, but is now on pain medications and antibiotics.

"She's got about seven or eight puncture wounds on her back and then she's got two wounds on either side of her neck and a couple of punctures on her right shoulder," explained Paquette, who now says Lilly won't be going outside by herself anymore.

Coyotes have been a growing concern on Aquidneck Island in recent months.

Just last month, residents packed a town meeting to discuss ways to deal with the booming population.

At the meeting, officials advised resident to not feed the animals and to keep a close eye on their pets and young children and to secure trash.

A program has also been launched to pick up road kill in the area, which will take away one of the animals' food sources.

A scientist is also using GPS technology to study and track the coyote population.