Time and again I hear of coyote attacks in our area. Today, it’s news in the Chicago area, and it’s nothing new. Too many people still don’t realize that yes, coyotes may well be in their neighborhood – no matter where they live. And not taking precautions against this possibility can lead to an unnecessary tragedy.
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| Source and Story: WGN TV |
Unfortunately for many of those who face losing their beloved pet to a coyote attack, it’s often the first time they’ve learned that coyotes can even be by them. We all think of distant rural, wildlife-populated scenes when we picture coyotes. But they roam wherever they must in search of territory, food, and shelter. And urban areas can be an attractive destination for a coyote looking for a smorgasbord of dining fare.
Although coyotes are generally fearful of humans (adult-size at least), it does not stop them from wandering residential neighborhoods. These are opportunistic creatures; they will eat what they can find. Small animals are prey, and that includes small dogs and cats.
What can you do?
- Avoid taking your dog out between dusk and dawn.
- Never leave your small dog unattended in your yard.
- Do not leave food out for pets or wildlife. This will only attract unwanted visitors such as coyotes.
- Ensure all trash is kept in a secure receptacle and not accessible.
Thank you for the reminder. We have lots of coyotes and everyone knows it but they still let their little ones walk off lead thinking it will never happen to them.
We are so sorry about little Hally and her family.
Love
Bert and My Vickie
Hi, Bert and Vickie! How can we better impress on people that yup – this can happen to you, too – ? It’s so sad, and so avoidable!
We live in a rural area and see coyotes all the time. Last Fall, Rodrigo had a run in with a coyote that scared all of us. He now keeps his difference. But I don’t trust that our dogs will always ignore their instinct to chase so I’m a lot more careful; especially now that critters are waking up and mating season is coming.
Thanks for sharing this information. The more we repeat it, the more people will be prepared and educated.
That would be frightening! Nope, can’t leave it up to our dogs to steer clear of these animals, they depend on us to ensure their safety. If even one more person learns of this, it’s good; it could very well save their pet’s life.
We live in suburbs with a rural feeling in Fort Worth where we have coyotes. They have never bothered us however have gotten small pets that are left outside by negligent owners. They are just as guilty as the coyote leaving them out knowing the risks. We have a female that watches me from a safe distance when I’m working in front yard. Her pups came out alone once running/playing in the wide open. My son & I were trying to make them go back to their den but they continued on their path & one even came up to us & rolled over for a belly rub & licked us when we tried to make her go back to safety.
Wow, that must have been quite an experience with the pup! Very, very true, negligent owners are most definitely as much to blame as the coyotes.
All notable points for one cannot assume that coyotes wont attack such vulnerable creatures. Airing on the side of caution, taking those precautions, can save a dog or cat’s life.
Have forwarded this onto the various social networks.
Gary
Very much so, Gary. Thank you for spreading the word!
We live in a rural area in So. Cal. north of LA in an area with a LOT of protected ‘open space’. We see coyotes ALL the time and my labs love to chase them so I have to be very watchful. They will go after large dogs using a hunting method – one of them will lure the dog and then the others circle around behind him/her… That happened to me a couple of times with my dog Tino. One time, he gave chase and they circled around behind him…he realized what was happening and turned tail to run back to me. They gave chase, but luckily he got away with just a nip on his tail. They are usually afraid of people, but sometimes, if they think they have a score, hunger will override. Safest bet is to keep your dog on the leash.
Thank you, you bring up some excellent points – you can’t count on them being afraid of people, or of avoiding larger dogs. Scary, knowing what they can do given a chance. And yes, a leash is a must!
Scary stuff. Several of my kitty pals have been eaten by the coyotes.
Poor little darlings. Heartbreaking.
We don’t have coyotes in the UK, although I’m sure if we did I’d have been killed by one now xx
this makes me super nervous. Ironically I saw your post about 15 minutes after a local news report on TV about coyotes in our neighborhood. This makes me super nervous.
Really important reminder. I know for a fact there are coyotes in my area because my husband saw one while walking the dog. It makes me really cautious while walking her myself, especially on more isolated paths. I don’t know if it’s possible to be too paranoid when it comes to the safety of our animals.
I used to live in a rural area but in the past few years, we are now surrounded by suburbs. I have been hearing the coyotes again lately and even saw that someone had posted a “Coyote Sighting” in the neighborhood the night after I heard them. I thought that was a pretty nice idea.