Beware. There are coyotes out there and they’re infested with rabies.

The third attack in several months was reported over the weekend. This one was in Mocksville, on East Depot Street, just steps away from downtown.

Davie Sheriff J.D. Hartman said a 7-year-old girl was swinging in the backyard Saturday at about 1:30 p.m. when the animal came from the woods and attacked her. The girl’s father, who was on the porch, ran to her rescue and chased the coyote to the woods.

She suffered a bite to the leg; he suffered injuries to his forearm and eye. Both are being treated for rabies, although the animal was never found.

The incident was reported the next day after they sought medical treatment and were advised to contact law enforcement. There was some communication problems, but the man picked a coyote from a group of photographs as the animal that attacked.

“Be careful of your surroundings when outside,” Hartman said.

Animals that contract rabies have the disease for 10-12 days before they die. Hartman said that coyotes have been reported in town in the past.