An 82-year-old man is recovering after being attacked by a coyote in Clifton Park.

It happened on Wednesday in the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve. Tom Fitzpatrick tells NewsChannel 13’s Dan Levy that he was walking his dog, like he does at that time every evening, when he saw the coyote.

The coyote attacked his 2-year-old dog Maggie. Fitzpatrick covered the dog with his body and then threw her up on the snowbank. Then, he wrestled with the animal.

Fitzpatrick has begun rabies treatment.

The animal has been spotted in the preserve and surrounding areas in the last 24 to 48 hours, according to the town’s animal control officer.

People are asked to avoid the area. The town is working with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Environmental Conservation to resolve this issue.

Hear Fitzpatrick describe the attack by watching video of Dan Levy’s story.