Dad Rescues 2-Year-Old Daughter from Coyote Attack in Their Front Yard
2-year-old Ariya Eliyahuo is recovering from being attacked by a coyote in her Los Angeles front yard.
The incident happened after her dad Ariel Eliyahuo collected his daughter from daycare and momentarily let her wander around their yard in Woodland Hills, Calif. while he unpacked the family car.
"I heard Ariya scream. I thought she fell down," Eliyahuo recalled to CNN. "I ran immediately to see what was going on and I saw the coyote attack her. I picked her up in my arms and tried to make the coyote go away."
Running to his daughter's defense, Eliyahuo can be seen in a home security video cradling his daughter in his arms and scaring off the coyote, which had charged into Ariya and snipped at her backside.
Thankfully, the coyote scurried away after the father threw a water bottle at the animal.
RELATED: Viral Video Shows Conn. Mom Tossing a Raccoon After It Latches onto Her Daughter's Leg: Watch!
RELATED: Young Girl Suffered 'Serious' Injuries During Coyote Attack Near Huntington Beach Pier: Police
Following the incident, Ariel's wife, Shira, told KTLA 5 News that her daughter had "a lot of scratches" on her left leg and that "one of them was bleeding."
"I grabbed her and laid her down," she added to CBS Los Angeles. "I saw blood on her pants and on her leg and where she got injured. It was just terrible."
"I just wanted to make sure she was ok," the mom continued.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Getty Images
In response the couple immediately took Ariya to an emergency room where she received "multiple rabies shots," reported CNN.
"We don't live in a zoo, we live in Los Angeles," Eliyahuo told CNN. "Now I'm really, really, really afraid to let the kids go out, even in the backyard, by themselves."
RELATED: Coyote Rescued and Released After Wandering into a Bathroom Stall at a California Middle School
Officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are currently looking for the coyote armed with dart rifles.
They have also taken DNA samples from Ariya's clothing to ensure that they can positively identify the coyote once they catch it. A rep told CNN that the attacking animal will later be euthanized and tested for rabies.
RELATED: 2-Year-Old Hospitalized in Critical Condition After Being Attacked by Coyote Outside Dallas Home
Neighbors reported that that they have seen a coyote "regularly wandering around" the neighborhood "for months," with one neighbor even saying they had to pepper-spray it when it came too close, reported CBS Los Angeles.
