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Fairfax County officials are urging Great Falls residents to remain alert after a coyote attacked several pet dogs and at least one person near Utterback Store Road and Streamview Court.

The attacks occurred during daylight hours on Thursday, June 18. The person and dogs suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Fairfax County Department of Animal Services. The pets were evaluated and treated at an emergency veterinary clinic.

Officials conducted an extensive search but did not locate the coyote. Because the animal was never found, the Fairfax County Health Department said rabies could not be ruled out as a possible cause of its behavior.

The county had received no additional reports involving a coyote since the attacks. If the animal was rabid, officials said it likely died within several days of showing symptoms of the fatal disease.

Anyone who may have been bitten, scratched or touched by a wild animal should call the county health department’s rabies program at 703-256-2433. Possible contact between a pet and a wild animal should be reported to the Department of Animal Services at 703-691-2131.

Coyotes play an important role in the local ecosystem by controlling rodents and other wildlife, and encounters involving people or pets are uncommon. However, coyotes may see large dogs as territorial competitors and smaller dogs or cats as prey.

Most local conflicts involve unattended dogs, dogs running loose or off leash, and free-roaming cats. Encounters can occur throughout the year but become more likely during mating season from January through March and while coyotes protect their pups from March through August.

County officials recommend keeping dogs leashed, preventing cats from roaming outdoors and ensuring pets are current on vaccinations. Residents can also reduce risk by removing outdoor food sources and avoiding places where coyotes have recently been reported, especially during mating and pup-rearing seasons.

People who encounter a coyote should calmly back away and avoid running. If it approaches, state wildlife officials recommend yelling, waving your arms, using a whistle or another noisemaker, throwing small sticks or rocks toward the animal, or spraying it with water when available.

Although the cause of the Great Falls attacks remains unconfirmed, Fairfax County typically identifies 40 to 60 rabid animals each year. Rabies cases reported in 2026 have included a cat in Huntington and a kitten captured near Poplar Ford Park in Centreville.