This story originally included an incorrect name for El Conquistador Golf.
Javelinas attacked a woman walking her two dogs at El Conquistador Golf in Oro Valley Sunday, the Arizona Game and Fish Department says.
The wild animals killed one of the dogs in the attack, while the woman and the other dog were injured.
In a tweet, the AZGFD says javelinas instinctively see dogs as coyotes — their natural predators — and will attack if they spot one. If you see a javelina while walking your dogs, the AZGFD says you should go the other way.
“Javelina and human being conflicts are rare," said Mark Hart of AZGFD Tucson. "But when there’s a dog involved, that’s where it gets risky... The puncture wounds from their canine teeth can cause some pretty severe injury."
Hart says encounters with dogs are the second leading cause of people being bitten by javelina, behind only feeding them.
"If you’re out walking your dog and see javelina, immediately turn around and go the other way. It’s not going to end well if you keep going forward," Hart warned.
If you encounter a javelina up close, loud noises can help scare them away.
“Even something as simple as clapping your hands loudly can disturb javelina enough that they’ll move off," Hart said.
Anyone who is threatened by wildlife in Arizona should report it to the AZGFD by calling 623-236-7201.
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