Comedian Brittany Furlan, wife of Mötely Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, has shared footage from her ring video camera showing the daring rescue of her dog, who was attacked by a coyote.
“Trigger warning: I was letting the dogs out to pee, and I was watching them, and a coyote came and grabbed Neena in broad daylight,” she wrote in an Instagram post shared Tuesday,
The recording shows the moments Neena and Furlan’s other dog, Teenie, were let into the backyard of the comedian’s Woodland Hills home in Los Angeles. Shortly later, a coyote took Neena by surprise and carried her to the corner of the property.
“Oh my gosh! A coyote grabbed Neena! … We can’t leave the dogs out,” Furlan said after moments of screaming in apparent shock.
After hearing the commotion, a man who appeared to be Tommy Lee was seen briefly walking into the backyard.
“I’ve lived here for four years and I’ve never seen one coyote and then today this happened. They are desperate,” she shared.
The security footage was cut off as the coyote tried to scale a walled enclosure surrounding the couple’s backyard. Furlan says she climbed to rescue Neena before the coyote could escape.
“[Neena’s] a little bit fat because he couldn’t make it over the wall with her. If it was teenie she would’ve been gone,” she said in the post.
Neena or Teenie will no longer be let out back, she said.
“This is ridiculous. Hug your babies extra tight.”
‘Food-Conditioned’ Coyotes
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, coyotes, like most wild animals, usually avoid or fear humans but are increasingly at risk of becoming “food-conditioned” as non-natural food sources become more common in their habitat or they’re fed by people.
“Some people do not realize the harm in feeding wild animals or preventing access to attractants,” reads a statement from their website.
Fish and wildlife officials recommend leashing pets while walking, not leaving small pets unsupervised outside, bringing pets in at night, and keeping livestock or chickens in secure pens at night, which can be enhanced with electric fencing.
In case of a coyote encounter, officials recommend making loud noise like capping or blowing a whistle, make yourself look bigger, back away slowly, and let the coyote leave on its own. If the coyote attacks, always fight back, they said.