A coyote was shot and killed after police say it attacked two women Thursday during separate attacks in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Officials said Friday that the coyote had tested positive for rabies — which, untreated, is fatal in humans. County health officials are telling anyone who had contact with the animal to get checked by a physician or contact the county’s disease control program.
Symptoms of rabies in humans, according to the CDC, include weakness, discomfort, fever, headache or itching at the site of the bite or scratch.
Police, animal services and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources were all searching for the coyote following the two separate attacks which took place hours apart, according to the police department.
Montgomery County police said the first attack happened just before 10 a.m. while a woman was walking her dog in the 1400 block of Patuxent Drive — near Watershed drive in Ashton.
She was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK.
The second attack took place around 3:45 p.m. in the 3600 block of Bell Road in Burtonsville. Police said that woman fought the coyote off and stabbed the animal.
Around 7 p.m., police said the coyote was found along a trail on Dustin Road. The animal was shot and killed.
Police are reminding residents to stay away from any coyotes they might spot and to instead call 911 or animal services at 240-773-5925.
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.
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