Liz Kaner, of Westport, is still reeling after a coyote attacked her beloved dog, Snickers, last week.

“This past Wednesday night was an absolute nightmare,” Kaner said.

Around 9 p.m., she let the 13-year-old Schnoodle out in the backyard, as she always has. “Then I heard shrieking. Thank God I was within earshot,” Kaner told News 12. She said she ran outside and found the coyote attacking her dog, who's just 13 pounds.

“Absolute panic and horror,” Kaner said, recalling her emotions. “When I screamed, it went into the woods. My dog was very injured on her abdomen.” Snickers was rushed to the veterinarian where she had emergency surgery. “She was a mess, and I have to say, I've had a lot of emotions. Right now, I'm full of gratitude because she really should not be here,” Kaner said.

Snickers isn’t the only dog in town recovering from a coyote attack. Westport police said there were another incident last week, also in the northern part of town. Luckily, the other dog also survived.

“You can't just let them outside, unless your yard is really securely fenced in. These coyotes can figure out a way to get into your property,” said Lt. Eric Woods. Police offered the following tips to keep pets safe:

-Always supervise pets outside.

-Carry a flashlight for walks at night.

-Consider motion sensor lights at home to be aware of wildlife and help deter coyotes.

-Use an airhorn or high decibel whistle to scare coyotes away.

“Coyotes do not want to have an interaction with humans. They're more afraid of you than you are of them,” Woods said, adding they can also be driven away by throwing sticks or rocks. “Coyotes are out day or night. And just because they're out during the day doesn't mean anything like they're sick or rabid or anything like that.”

He also said if you come across a coyote and have a smaller dog, pick up your pet and head the other way.

“We ask that the public call us if they have a coyote siting just so our animal control can track where we're having coyotes,” Woods explained. Snickers is slowly getting better, but Kaner remains shaken “I feel like I am a mother of a newborn again,” she joked.

Kaner said Snickers will never go out unattended again and will always be close to someone's side. “We had a false sense of security, and I learned a terrible lesson, and hopefully by speaking out, others can avoid a similar fate,” Kaner said.