WASHINGTON, Conn. (AP) – State wildlife officials said a coyote that may have been the animal that attacked two men in the western Connecticut town of Washington was killed Wednesday afternoon.

One of the men – a jogger – is undergoing treatment as a precaution. He was attacked early Tuesday morning and suffered bites and cuts. A second Washington resident was attacked a few hours later while walking his dog. He was able to fend off the attack and was not injured.

The Department of Environmental Protection said the coyote was killed just before 2:30 p.m. by a local man who said the animal was snarling and preparing to come at him.

He beat the animal to death with the wooden handle of a logging tool. The man was not injured, but also is undergoing precautionary rabies treatment.

The animal carcass was taken to a state health lab in Hartford where it will be tested for rabies, the DEP said.

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On the Net:

Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.dep.state.ct.us/

AP-ES-10-18-06 1743EDT