'I panicked': LaSalle dog owner shocked after dog loses eye in coyote attack

CTV Windsor: Coyote attacks dog A LaSalle pet owner is upset after his dog lost an eye in a coyote attack. Alana Hadadean has the story.

A LaSalle pet owner is upset after his dog lost an eye in a coyote attack.

James Nemeth says his four-year-old Shih Tzu poodle 'Moka' was attacked by a coyote around 9:30 a.m. on June 23 at their home on Bouffard Road.

Nemeth tells CTV News he went in to his kitchen for a minute while his 15-pound dog was tied to the side deck of his home. He heard ‘Moka’ yelping and went outside to see a coyote leaving the yard.

“I pretty much was in shock,” says Nemeth. “His eye was out of his socket and about double the size it should be.”

Nemeth claims it happened in less than a minute and a half.

There's blood everywhere. He was just screaming and I was kind of in shock,” adds Nemeth. “I panicked, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do, so I took him to the vet right away.”

Nemeth’s dog had surgery and is now adjusting to life with one eye. The vet bill was close to $1,500.

“They took all day long before I got him back,” he says. “He has gotten a lot better.”

This is the second coyote attack on a dog in LaSalle in the month of June, and it happened on the same Bouffard Road.

A LaSalle woman says her Yorkie-Poo dog was also attacked and killed by a coyote on June 4.

Nemeth tells CTV Windsor the coyote has come back several times, so he wants to warn other LaSalle pet owners to be aware.

“People have to know don’t even leave your dog outside even for a minute,” he says. “You can’t be too safe.”

LaSalle police and local politicians say they are concerned with the coyote attacks.

In fact, councillor Jeff Renaud says they recently held a meeting with police and officials with the Ministry of Natural Resources.

A report will be sent to council to look at what bylaw amendments could be made to help protect residents and their pets from coyotes.