A coyote suspected of being one of two that attacked a dog near Souris has been caught by P.E.I. wildlife officials.

'When it bit her on the paw, she yelled like you wouldn't believe.'— Kenny Chaisson

Officials dispatched a trapper after two coyotes attacked a dog being walked by a Rollo Bay man on the Confederation Trail two weeks ago.

Kenny Chaisson told CBC News on Friday that he had let his golden retriever, Bailey, off her leash during an early morning walk. Chaisson said she was about 50 metres ahead of him on the trail, when a coyote darted out of the woods and sunk its teeth into Bailey's foot.

"When it bit her on the paw, she yelled like you wouldn't believe," he said.

Chaisson broke off a small branch and started yelling. Bailey began running back to him, but suddenly turned around and gave chase to the coyote.

"That coyote kept running, not fast, and this second coyote came out about 15 or 20 feet behind my dog, and my dog didn't even know that that other coyote was behind her," he said.

After hearing about the recent coyote attack in Cape Breton, in which a young woman died, he was a little nervous, but with branch in hand he chased the coyotes away. He said Bailey is doing OK.

"She was limping for a day or a day and a half," he said.

"The guys from wildlife say that's how they take down their prey, by the ankles, just come and gradually wear them out."

A rare occurrence

Chaisson said he hasn't been back to the trail since the incident, and he said others are afraid to walk it.

Provincial biologist Randy Dibblee said people should continue to enjoy the trail.

"The incident is an isolated one," said Dibblee.

"I think pets should normally be kept on leash to begin with. Like I say, this is a very unusual incident, and one that I would think would be a rare reoccurrence."

Dibblee said he does not believe people on P.E.I. are under any threat of being attacked by coyotes because unlike some in Nova Scotia, the animals on the Island still have a fear of humans.