A trapper has captured a coyote in New Waterford, but there's no way to confirm if the animal is behind an attack on a teenager nearly two weeks ago.

A 16-year-old girl was knocked down in a residential neighbourhood on Sept. 14. The animal scratched her face, but was scared away by a car horn. The girl was left shaken, but not seriously hurt.

The Department of Natural Resources sent a trapper to the area to try to catch the animal.

"We've been setting up now over the last number of days," said Andy Pyke, a wildlife technician. "A number of large landowners in the area have given us access."

He said there's no way to know if the coyote that was caught is the one behind the attack.

"The best we can really hope for is to get as many animals as close to town as we can."

Pyke said he's not surprised to hear a coyote was in the middle of town.

"Coyotes are very smart and they're very adaptable and they like to take advantage of anything that's available," he said. He said they're likely targeting pets. People in the area are being asked to keep their animals confined until the trapping is finished.

This was the first recorded coyote attack in the town.

The traps will remain in the area for the next three weeks.