Coyote Reportedly Bites Dog Near Elm Street Soccer Fields

Medfield Animal Control received a report on Oct. 7 that a coyote had bitten a small dog, according to Medfield Chief of Police Robert Meaney Jr.

Meaney reported the incident on the town’s website with the following message:

“The incident occurred in the area of the gravel pits by the railroad tracks, south of the Elm Street soccer fields. It was the opinion of the veterinarian that the bite was a warning bite and was not intended to seriously injure the dog. People should insure that their dogs are leashed so that there is less chance of these types of incidents happening.”

Meaney said there had been reports of coyotes in that area before and the dog’s owner made the observation of the coyote biting the dog just before 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 7.

Medfield Police was not notified directly of the incident because the veterinarian called Animal Control, according to Meaney.

“I did consult with the Animal Control officer and [Town Administrator] Mike Sullivan prior to sending the message [on the town’s website] and they both agreed that it is better to provide the information about the incident so people know what is going on and they can make decisions about using that area,” Meaney said.

Meaney added coyotes are in several areas of town and it is not uncommon to see them in remote as well as residential areas.