The incident happened Thursday afternoon in Tangley Oaks community in Lake Bluff, village officials said.
A coyote took a small dog from a yard and carried it into a wooded area, officials said.
The dog, named Stan, has not been recovered and is assumed to have died.
The pet owners told ABC7 they were keeping a close eye on the dog and were less than 10 feet away as the coyote attack happened.
Lake Bluff police and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are investigating the incident.
Village officials said they believe this is the first incident of its kind in Lake Bluff.
Officials shared the following tips for pet owners:
- Keep small pets close and supervised when outdoors, including in fenced yards.
- If you encounter a coyote, do not run. Stand tall, make yourself appear larger, yell, clap your hands, wave your arms, or use a whistle or other noise-making device.
- If the coyote moves away but stops and looks back, continue making noise and appearing large until it leaves the area.
- Never intentionally feed coyotes, and remove outdoor food sources that may attract coyotes or their prey.