‘He’s definitely fierce’: Mini dachshund survives vicious coyote attack in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — One family in Lincoln is breathing a sigh of relief after their pet dog escaped death late Tuesday night.
Hugo, a 5-year-old miniature dachshund, was attacked by a coyote in the backyard of his home near 84th Street and Old Cheney Road.
“He was dragging him back and forth across the backyard,” Amy Krivohlavek said.
SEE ALSO: Lincoln residents concerned with large number of coyote sightings
About 10:30 p.m., Hugo was let outside to his business before bed.
But Krivohlavek’s oldest daughter heard the dachshund cry out for help and sprang into action.
“He started full-on screaming, so I sprinted upstairs and told my mom, ‘There’s something happening in the backyard!'” Isabel Galinda said.
When Krivohlavek was alerted, she and her daughter scared the animal away and immediately rushed their beloved pet to the emergency vet.
SEE ALSO: ‘Too close for comfort’: Lincoln resident has close encounter with coyote
“My worry was if I had come out a few minutes later, he might’ve killed him in the process ’cause that’s what it looked like was happening,” she said.
Hugo suffered up to four severe lacerations, plus a broken scapula.
Amy said the vet told them it’s rare for a dog Hugo’s size to survive this kind of vicious attack.
What’s also rare, is a coyote sighting in that part of southeast Lincoln.
According to Lincoln Animal Control, most coyote sightings are near Holmes Lake.
Animal control also thinks the coyote population has decreased recently, citing only seven observations in the past seven months.
“We’ve had quite a few calls previously,” Officer Nick Finelli said. “But I feel like our population is coming down.”
According to the family, the coyote leapt over a 4-foot fence to run after Hugo.
For Krivohlavek and her family, this was a wakeup call. It’s something she won’t ever forget.
“He’s definitely fierce and will fight; we’re really hopeful that he’s going to recover,” she said. “But we’re really just hoping that people hear this message and be more careful with their dogs. I never thought this would have happened to us. Going forward, I will take every precaution to make sure he stays safe.”
