Coyote Warning In Santa Fe National Forest

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Santa Fe National Forest is warning hikers and residents to be careful of coyotes.

Officials say a dog owned by Houston and Alice Davis was attacked Tuesday while they and their two dogs were hiking along a service road in the Millennium Lift area. The dog that was attacked was unleashed and had gone ahead of the couple.

The Albuquerque Journal last week reported that at least two other hikers' dogs were attacked in the Santa Fe Ski Basin. One of the dogs was an 85-pound Anatolian shepherd whose owner, Lisa Stuart, said was chased down and emerged with puncture wounds. Another hiker, Sandra Mendrel, says a pack of about four coyotes surrounded her and her 25-pound dog before she warded them off with trekking poles.

Forest officials say hikers should keep their dogs on a leash at all times.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.