Last week, a coyote attacked a dog accompanying a group of three joggers in the Presidio, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The coyote rushed out of the bushes and jumped on the yellow Labrador's back.

Last year, a pair of coyotes that attacked a dog in Golden Gate Park were shot.

In southern California, coyote attacks on humans have been reported, including one in San Bernardino County last week when a coyote tried to drag a 2-year-old girl out of her yard.

"They're becoming more bold and brazen," said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Game. "They've learned how to exist in an urban environment. They're not afraid of people anymore."