A Surprise mother fought off a coyote with a flip-flop after the animal attacked her 4-year-old daughter, suffering facial wounds while shielding the child during a neighborhood kite-flying outing.
Brittany Cardinal said she and her daughter went outside Sept. 6 because the child wanted to fly a kite in the wind, Arizona’s Family reported. Cardinal heard a scream, turned and saw the coyote nipping at the girl. She picked up her daughter and yelled at the animal, but it did not retreat.
Cardinal then removed a flip-flop and swung it at the coyote. During the struggle, she fell, and the animal clamped onto her face. Cardinal and her daughter eventually backed away and ran home for help. She suffered puncture wounds and lacerations around her mouth and on both sides of her face. ABC15 reported the girl sustained one bite wound.
“There was no hesitation at all,” Cardinal said, explaining that her instinct was simply to protect her child.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department said the incident was the first recorded coyote attack on a person in the Phoenix area since December 2023. Officials said the reason for the attack remained unclear. Wildlife officers removed several coyotes from the neighborhood and submitted them for rabies testing, but no results had been announced.
Agency spokesperson Alex Flickinger said Cardinal responded appropriately by fighting back, yelling and using whatever was available to drive the animal away. Department guidance advises people to maintain eye contact, make loud noises, wave objects and never run, which can trigger a chase response. Anyone bitten should seek immediate medical treatment and report the attack.
Cardinal said she now plans to carry pepper spray. Wildlife officials advise residents to secure trash and pet food because human-related food sources can make urban coyotes bolder.
