Local woman who says she was attacked by coyote shares her story

CANONSBURG, Pa. — A Washington County woman says she’s lucky to be alive after a coyote attacked her in her own backyard while she was outside checking on her dogs.

Brandy Williard told Channel 11 that her two small dogs were hiding under a car and refusing to come out on Friday night. When she walked around the vehicle to check on them, she says a coyote lunged at her, backing her up against her truck.

“I had my hands like a pretzel trying to get it off of me,” Williard said.

The attack left her with deep scratches across her shins, thighs, arms and face. She believes being pinned against the truck kept her from being taken to the ground.

Williard was rushed to Canonsburg Hospital, where doctors began a series of painful rabies treatments.

“They have to take this really thick needle and stick it inside your wound twice… one in your arm,” she said. “I’ve got to go back in four more days, then seven days, 10 days and 14 days.”

A warden from the Pennsylvania Game Commission responded to Williard’s home. The agency told Channel 11 it cannot confirm whether the animal was a coyote, a feral dog, or another wild animal, noting that coyote attacks against humans are extremely rare.

According to the Game Commission, coyotes live in every county in Pennsylvania and typically target small animals. People can be injured if they intervene.

Williard says she is certain about what attacked her and hopes her story reminds pet owners to be cautious.

“I know what it was. I know what I saw. I know the noise it made… You can’t get it out of your head,” she said. “I wasn’t going to let it eat my dog. I was going to get eaten first.”

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