RUSSIAVILLE, Ind. – A woman’s dog was taken by a coyote Monday evening.
Barbra Howard said she let her dog Maya out in her front yard without a leash when in seconds, the Maltese was swept up by a coyote.
“She was in front of the tree and she had just bent down and the coyote or whatever it was... he came so fast it was just like a streak of lightning,” she said.
A couple of weeks ago Howard had read the warning to pet owners about possible coyotes in the area. Several have been sighted around the state over the past few months.
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"Nobody thinks it will happen to them, but by experience now, it will, it can happen and it did happen to us,” she said.
Maya was adopted by Howard and her husband about eight years ago.
"I was crying. I was just hysterical I mean because I couldn't find her,” said Howard.
Maya has not been seen since Monday and Howard said she hopes other pet owners listen to the warning.
“I blame myself for it,” said Howard. “That's what makes it so hard. "