WAKE FOREST, N.C. -- Wake Forest police have confirmed that the coyote who attacked a man along Lariat Ridge Drive Wednesday night has tested positive for rabies. 

Officers say it happened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 3100 block of Lariat Ridge Drive in the Carriage Run neighborhood.

Officials say the man was taking out his trash when the animal attacked. The victim suffered only minor injuries.

Even after the coyote backed off, it continued to lurk in the yard so the man's son shot it. 

Rabies is considered rare in Coyotes.

Wake County Human Services is advising the man about the rabies treatment protocol.

Police urge residents to stay alert and closely supervise children and pets when outside. If you do spot a coyote, do not approach it and be sure to call the police immediately.

To prevent conflicts with coyotes, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission offers the following tips:

• Secure garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids, and take them out in the morning of pick up, not the night before. Coyotes and other wildlife will scavenge trash.
• Don’t feed or try to pet coyotes. Feeding a coyote rewards that animal for coming in close proximity to people. Once a coyote becomes habituated, it loses its natural wariness of people and may become bold and aggressive.
• Protect your pets by keeping them inside, leashed, or inside a fenced area.
• Install coyote-proof fencing around your home to protect unsupervised pets.
• Feed pets indoors or remove food when your pet is finished eating outside. Coyotes and other wildlife are attracted to pet food left outdoors.
• Keep bird-feeder areas clean. Use bird feeders that keep seed off the ground. Coyotes are attracted to small animals congregating on the ground. If coyotes are frequently seen, remove all feeders.
• Close off crawl spaces under sheds and porches. Coyotes and other wildlife may use these spaces for resting and raising young.
• Cut back brushy edges in your yard, which provide cover for coyotes.
• Don’t be intimidated by a coyote. Maintain its wariness by throwing a small object, such as a tennis ball, at it, making a loud noise, or spraying it with a hose. Let it know it is unwelcome near your home.
• Clear fallen fruit from around fruit trees. Coyotes are omnivorous and regularly consume fruit as part of their diet.
• Educate your neighbors. Your efforts to prevent coyote conflicts will be less effective if some neighbors are still providing foods.
• Allow hunters or trappers access to your property, so the local coyote population can be managed. Coyotes avoid areas in which threats are perceived.