MARBLEHEAD — A young female jogger was attacked Monday afternoon by an animal that was possibly a coyote, according to the Police Department. 

The department said in a statement that on Monday night, it received a report of a dog biting an individual jogging along Brown Street on the Neck.

“After an investigation by Animal Control and the animal inspector, it has been determined that the biting animal was possibly a coyote and the resulting injuries were not life-threatening,” the report stated.

The individual was taken to Salem Hospital, where she was given an inoculation for rabies.

“From my experience, joggers moving at a fast pace may unexpectedly run into a coyote causing them to react,” Dan Proulx, the town’s animal investigator, wrote on his Facebook page, Marblehead Coyote Tracker.

He said that although it is rare for coyotes to bite humans, this does not mean it never happens.

“Hopefully this is just an isolated incident and not a rabid coyote,” he wrote. “Though rabies is rare as well, it doesn’t mean it’s not out there and we need to take this seriously.” 

He said it is likely that the coyote’s health will decline very quickly if it is rabid. He said residents on the Neck should be aware, but not afraid of coyotes.

The Police Department is urging people to “be aware and to report any sightings of coyotes they may see,” especially during the day, for the next few days.

“Rabies is rare, however we would like to take extra precaution and be sure the public is safe. It’s possible that this is an isolated incident and the coyote was startled by the jogger,” the release stated.

The Police Department, Animal Control, and the Environmental Police will be monitoring the area.