Beth Cabral lives in a Damonte Ranch neighborhood, where it's normal to hear coyotes a couple times a week. But in early January, one of them got into her backyard and attacked her dog, Jax. They did not notice anything unusual until they heard a loud noise come from their fence, which backs up to wildlands.
"My son ran out there and he actually saw this lanky animal, which appeared to be a coyote, and it sprung over the fence as soon as my son started yelling," Cabral said.
The chihuahua mix had cuts on his neck and a large puncture on his back, but he survived. Wildlife officials say it's not unusual for coyotes to attack small pets, especially in the urban interface, like Damonte Ranch, Somersett, and Spanish Springs.
"When I'm moving out into the semi-country that the urban interface symbolizes, I'm actually moving into an area where I'm going to have interactions with wildlife," Chris Healy, NDOW spokesman said.
Healy says coyotes are more common in neighborhoods during the warmer, dryer months, usually tracking food sources like rodents and rabbits. Humans sometimes contribute to the problem by leaving dog food and trash in their yards. Those are also easy sources of food for coyotes.
"Not everybody will have trouble but some people will and it would be a real tragedy for people to lose their pets or even the possibility of a child getting mauled or something like that," Healy said.
Healy says there are some precautions you can take to haze the coyotes or make them feel unwelcome.
"You want to make noise," Healy said. "You want to make them fearful. You want to make them fearful of humans and they should be fearful of humans. You don't want them being comfortable."
Healy says the more comfortable they get, the bolder they get, and will be less likely to fear humans. That is why Cabral plans on making some changes around her yard, including brighter lights, activated by motion. She hopes that will scare off any predators. She is also keeping a closer watch on Jax.
"We feel we can't go out to let our dog out anymore by itself because we're afraid it's going to happen again," Cabral said. "Especially, since he's so small."
One of Cabral's neighbors had a similar situation, where a coyote stole a small dog from a backyard. That dog also survived, and was turned up in the neighborhood, with multiple injuries. Still, the coyotes make their presence known, every week. They may not be seen but they are heard.
"I don't know if they're getting a rabbit or what but we can hear them yipping and howling, and it's scary," Cabral said.
Coyotes are attracted to some neighborhoods more than others because of the availability of food, including small pets. Urban ponds are also extremely important for their survival during the dry months. If you come into contact with a coyote, it is best to scare them away with loud noises or by throwing objects like rocks. Do not turn your back to them or run away. It is better to slowly back away from the coyote.
