Wildlife officers are “aggressively pursuing” a coyote that attacked a 4-year-old girl in Colorado Springs on Thanksgiving Day, according to a release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

The attack happened on the city’s north side, near the Air Force Academy, in a neighborhood east of Monument Creek and Interstate 25, the release said.

Witnesses told wildlife officers the girl was attacked when she and another child approached a coyote that was crouching behind a tree because they thought it was dog.

The coyote lunged at the girl, grabbing the back of her head and injuring her before her father stopped the attack. The child stayed overnight in the hospital because of the injuries; she was released on Friday.

“This could have been much worse – a tragedy – if not for the quick action of the child’s father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter and scare the coyote off,” said Tim Kroening, CPW’s area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region.

“Coyotes are omnivores and will eat anything, even tipping over garbage cans like bears do,” he said in the release.

“Typically when they get aggressive, it’s in the spring and they are protecting a nearby den where they have pups. Or it’s because someone in the area is feeding them. 

“People nearby might be leaving pet food outdoors or actively feeding by throwing them scraps of food. That’s illegal and it’s a problem in urban areas.”

Kroening said coyotes have attacked small dogs and cats for feed, and may also see pets as potential competitors for food. 

After learning of the attack on Friday, wildlife officers began organizing a search for the coyote. Since they won’t be able to identify the exact one involved, they will kill any coyote found in the vicinity of the attack.

The carcasses will be sent to a health lab to be examined for the presence of human DNA and diseases such as rabies. 

Officials say the attack is an important reminder for people to be alert and haze wild animals found near their homes. Deer, fox, bobcat, bears and other animals should not be comfortable around people; residents should throw rocks and yell at them to scare them away.