ERIE, Colo. -- A 9-year-old boy is a bit shaken but recovering after he was attacked by a coyote while he and his brother were snowboarding at the Vista Ridge Golf Course in Erie, wildlife officials said.

The boys had stopped at the bottom of the golf hill at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday when the coyote approached, circled the boy, and lunged at him twice, said Jennifer Churchill, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

The boy ran home and told his mother, who called the Erie Police Department. She then took the boy to Children's Hospital Clinic, where he was released early Friday morning.

He suffered puncture wounds on his arms, said Stacey Sandlin, the boy's mother. She sent out an e-mail to friends in her neighborhood, warning them of the coyote.

"I wanted to warn parents that my son is almost 80 pounds and 4 feet 8 inches tall and had a coyote attack him. I wanted to warn you all, for children and small pets," Sandlin said in the e-mail.

"Please beware of any coyotes, especially those who are alone and not with the pack -- this is a sign of sickness -- approaching humans or aggression is also a sign of rabies. If your children say they have seen a dog, it could be a coyote. This disease can also spread rapidly -- so please report any sightings of coyotes in the neighborhood," Sandlin said.

Sandlin said her son now has to undergo a series of "not pleasant" shots to be vaccinated against rabies.

"So please report any suspicious animals, and if your child or animal is bitten, please take immediate action," she said.

"While attacks on dogs and other pets aren't that uncommon, it is extremely rare for a coyote to attack a person," Churchill admitted.

The DOW, with help from assisting agencies, tried to track and locate the offending coyote. A coyote was found near the site of the attack and was killed, Churchill said. It has been sent to the DOW lab in Fort Collins for testing, which is standard procedure after an incident such as this, officials said.

"Coyotes are naturally fearful of humans, but occasionally a coyote becomes aggressive and must be removed for public safety," said Larry Rogstad, area wildlife manager. "It is imperative that people report encounters with aggressive coyotes right away so that we can monitor the activity and intervene when necessary."

Most conflicts between people and coyotes are due to someone feeding these wild animals, whether intentionally or otherwise, Churchill said. The DOW strongly discourages feeding of wild animals, including coyotes. Coyotes also cause concern for pet owners, as these animals view pets as a threat, prey, or possibly even a mate.

The DOW offered these tips if a coyote approaches you:

Be as big, mean and loud as possible.

Wave your arms and throw objects at the coyote.

Shout in a deep, loud and authoritative voice.

Do not run or turn your back on the coyote.

Face the coyote and back away slowly.

If attacked, fight back with your fists and feet.

The DOW encourages anyone who encounters an aggressive coyote to immediately call 303-291-7227. If the incident occurs after business hours, contact the Colorado State Patrol (303) 239-4501.

To learn more about living with coyotes, visit the DOW web page.

The Town of Erie offers additional information on living near coyotes on their web site.