A Greeley couple is mourning the loss of their beloved poodle, after two coyotes snatched it during an early-morning bathroom break.

Lorraine Krieger said her poodle, named Rusty, needed to go outside around 3 a.m. recently and she watched him as he barked and then ran toward a tree near the edge of her property.

That's where two coyotes were lying in wait and snatched Rusty as Krieger watched horrified.

Krieger, barefoot, chased the two coyotes as they carried her poodle away.

"I can't get that out of my mind," she told the Greeley Tribune. "I ran after them, and they just took my little dog with them."

She couldn't catch up to the coyotes and hasn't seen Rusty since.

An officer with the Colorado Division of Wildlife said that coyote attacks on pets in Greeley are rare. In fact, Larry Rogstad said that Rusty's death is the first he's heard of in 20 years.

He said coyotes have been a problem in metro Denver because neighbors and restaurants were attracting the wild animals by feeding them, which is against the law. People who feed coyotes can be fined $50 for each violation.

Coyotes that take pets won't be trapped or transported out of the area by the DOW, Rogstad said.

In Colorado, coyotes are classified as a game species and may be taken year-round with either small game or furbearer license. Landowners may kill coyotes, without a license on their land if the coyotes threaten their property or livestock.

Krieger told the Tribune that all she has are some photos of Rusty to remember him by. He had been the family pet for nine years.

"We thought he'd be around forever," she said.

The DOW advises pet owners to protect their pets. Coyotes will attack and kill cats and dogs. The division also offers these tips:

Do not allow your pets to roam, especially at night.
Make sure your yard is appropriately fenced. We suggest at least a six-foot fence or better yet, keep your dog in a completely enclosed kennel.