A recent incident in Surprise, Arizona, saw a mother bravely defend her 4-year-old daughter from a coyote attack using a flip-flop. The encounter occurred on a September afternoon as the pair were outside flying a kite.
According to Brittany Cardinal, the mother, the attack happened suddenly. She reported hearing her daughter scream and turned to see a coyote biting the child. Cardinal immediately intervened, picking up her daughter and shouting at the animal, which did not retreat.
In a desperate act to protect her child, Cardinal removed a flip-flop from her foot and began swinging it at the coyote while continuing to yell. During the struggle, both Cardinal and her daughter fell to the ground. The coyote then lunged at Cardinal, biting her face. She described the sensation as pressure rather than immediate pain.
Despite her injuries, Cardinal continued to fight until she and her daughter were able to retreat to their home. Cardinal sustained lacerations and puncture wounds to her face, but her daughter was unharmed.
Arizona Game and Fish officials stated that this was the first recorded coyote attack on a person in the Phoenix area since December 2023. The cause of the attack remains unknown. Wildlife officials have captured and are testing several coyotes from the vicinity for rabies. Alex Flickinger, a public affairs community liaison for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, advised that in such encounters, people should fight back, be loud, and throw objects to deter the animal. Cardinal has since opted to carry pepper spray for protection.