State officials report a 13-year-old and the child’s father here in Connecticut were bitten by a coyote after hand-feeding the animal, a practice the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection warns against. In another case, a coyote lunged at a dog but the owner escaped with the pet unharmed. DEEP says coyote sightings rise this time of year as pups leave dens. They advise keeping pets indoors or on a leash and recommend making noise to scare off coyotes if they appear threatening.