RIVERSIDE — Riverside police received a call of coyotes trying to break a resident’s rear door to get to a puppy about 1:20 p.m. Friday.

When police arrived to the home in the 0-100 block of South Herbert Road, the resident told them his puppy was in the rear yard. He had heard a commotion and when looking outside, allegedly saw four coyotes about to attack the puppy, whose breed or age was not disclosed.

The owner called to his pet and the puppy came running, but so did the coyotes — pursuing the puppy up onto the wooden deck. The owner quickly let the dog in, but the coyotes followed and began to paw at the rear glass door of the residence, trying to get at the barking puppy inside, police said.