Gwinnett County Man Attacked by Coyote in His Yard

A man from Gwinnett County is recovering after a coyote attacked him in his front yard. Jim Brown was among three individuals who faced coyote attacks within just two days in his neighborhood near Braselton Highway.

On Saturday around 6 a.m., Brown took his 16-year-old Shih Tzu, Gigi, out for a walk. They were standing in the front yard, close to the driveway on Wyncliff Court.

“And then, just five feet away, there’s a coyote,” he recalled. “Before I could react, it was already on me.”

He quickly grabbed Gigi with one arm and attempted to fend off the animal. “I kicked out my leg, but it knocked me over,” he explained, noting that the coyote bit him quite badly.

“I guess the adrenaline kicked in, and I did my best to kick it away and take a step back,” he added. “Then it jumped at me again.”

Screaming as loud as he could, Brown managed to take Gigi back inside, where his wife was understandably upset. “It was chaos once we got back into the house,” he said.

Fortunately, Gigi was unharmed, but Brown spent over five hours at the hospital receiving treatment for his deep wounds, which included bandaging and a series of vaccinations for rabies.

The series of incidents took place on Friday and Saturday in the Wynfield Point neighborhood, with two of the victims having dogs with them during the attacks. On Tuesday, local officials reported that a coyote had tested positive for rabies.

Brown believes the county should have alerted residents right after the attacks. “There was a dangerous wild animal around that had previously attacked people, and we were completely unaware,” he said. “Kids were outside playing, and it’s just concerning.”

Gwinnett County Animal Welfare emphasized the importance of avoiding animals that behave unusually and keeping pets up to date on vaccinations. They advised anyone who has been bitten or scratched by any suspect animals to seek immediate medical attention.

Brown has a message for his neighbors. “Don’t take anything for granted anymore,” he urged. “Be alert when you’re outside and aware of what’s happening around you.”