Game wardens note coyotes are widespread, while the victim insists the attacker was one.
CANONSBURG, Pa. — A Washington County woman says she was attacked late last week by a coyote outside her home near Claysville, leaving her with deep cuts and a weeks-long rabies shot schedule. Her dogs were not injured, and wildlife officials took an initial report.
The case surfaced during Thanksgiving week, when more residents are outside after dark and trash schedules can shift, increasing scavenger activity. The woman, Brandy Williard, said a lunging animal pinned her against a truck in her driveway Friday night before she fought free. The Pennsylvania Game Commission responded and said confirmed coyote attacks on people are rare. Without a captured animal or clear video, officials have not confirmed whether the attacker was a coyote or another canid.
Williard said her dogs had crawled under the truck and refused to come out, which drew her to the driveway. “I had my hands like a pretzel trying to get it off of me,” she said, recalling a flash of fear before she escaped into the house. Paramedics took her to Canonsburg Hospital. Clinicians cleaned wounds on her legs, arms and face and started rabies prophylaxis. She described the shots as painful and said she is scheduled for doses over the next two weeks.
Wildlife officers said coyotes are established in every Pennsylvania county and are drawn to small animals and easy food sources, including unsecured garbage and outdoor pet bowls. People can be injured when stepping between a predator and a pet. In Williard’s case, officers said they could not make a definitive species call. She disagrees, saying the size, gait and sounds matched what she knows as a coyote. “I know what kind of noise it made,” she said. “You can’t get that out of your head.”
Recent outreach in western Pennsylvania has focused on urban-adapted wildlife that moves along creek corridors and wooded strips into subdivisions. Biologists say sightings often tick up during colder months and at night. While most reports involve pets, occasional human injuries have been documented elsewhere in the region and in neighboring states. Officials repeat that intentionally feeding wildlife can reduce fear of people and set the stage for closer contacts around porches and driveways.
For now, authorities say Williard’s vaccination plan will continue through mid-December. Wildlife officers have not announced any traps or patrol changes and say they will evaluate new reports if they surface. No hearings or public briefings were scheduled as of Friday afternoon.
On the street, neighbors described a quieter holiday, with porch lights left on and fewer late-night walks. One resident said the neighborhood chat lit up with reminders to leash dogs after dusk. Williard said she’s thankful to be home. “I’m not going to let you eat my dog,” she said. “I was going to get eaten first.”
As of Friday evening, no matching animal had been found and officials had not upgraded the case beyond an incident report. The next update is expected if additional sightings are logged this weekend.
Author note: Last updated November 28, 2025.