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Neighbors In North Suburbs On High Alert After Coyotes Attack Dogs In Backyard

Chicago (CBS) -- Neighborhoods in the north suburbs are used to the occasional coyote sighting, and many take steps to protect small animals.

But it's believed more than one coyote attacked three dogs Wednesday afternoon, two of them, 35-pound pit bulls.

Clover has been crying all day long. The 4-year-old pocket pit bull is in pain, scared, and missing her friend after they were both attacked by coyotes yesterday.

The dogs' owner Kathy Crann ran outside and made the horrific discovery.

"We walked in the house. The two dogs came running at us. Clover, my white one, was just covered in blood, covered," Crann said.

Her other pit bull, 5-year-old Maggie, was killed by what the family vet says had to be more than one coyote, maybe going after the little French bulldog when the two bigger dogs jumped in to protect him.

"I mean she was laying, dead in the snow," Crann said. "Maggie I mean she was mangled. It was horrific."

Crann's fully fenced in backyard has just two tiny breaks where the coyotes could have gotten in.

"Never in a million years would I have thought my pits, 40, 50 pounds, no way," Crann said.

For now, none of her three dogs will be in the backyard at all.

"I have this great backyard on the North Shore and I'm not going to use it anymore," Crann said. "I'm afraid."

The Cook County Forest Preserve said this is the start of mating season, which can cause coyotes to be especially aggressive. They remind people to keep an eye on pets and to not leave food out in the backyards.

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