People in Henderson are sounding the alarm about coyotes lurking around neighborhoods, killing pets.
Brandon Hammer's security camera caught a coyote fearlessly wandering across front porch in Inspirada.
A few seconds later it showed a second one sniffing around the sidewalk.
"I just wanted people to be aware, that you know they are bold and they are hungry and they could attack your animals," said Hammer
In Sun City Anthem, Nancy Albright said a coyote killed her dog, Corky, right in front of her.
"We saw the blood spurt and we saw him kill her right there in the yard," Albright of the attack.
According to Albright, the coyote was hiding behind a bush in her fenced-in front yard when she came out to take her dogs to the bathroom. It ran over, snatcher her dog, then jumped over this fence and ran off in just a matter of seconds.
"He just grabbed her and shook her and shook her and she was gone. I mean, just one whimper an she was gone," said Albright.
Albright followed the blood trail and found her dog just a few houses away.
"I took her then to my vet and when i came in my vet said 'my god, another one,'" said Albright.
Now she's warning others to watch out for their pets.
"I feel really guilty about that, that I let her outside before I checked the yard to see because I didn't think, I just didn't think anything like that would happen but it does," explained Albright.
The Department of Wildlife offers these tips to deal with coyotes:
• First, do not feed coyotes or any other wild animal. Providing food makes them dependent and they can lose their natural fear of humans. People who provide them with food run the risk of being bitten and increase the chance of their neighbors having a coyote issue. It is also positive reinforcement where the animal is rewarded for being in close contact with humans.
• Do not corner the animal, such as in a garage. Give it plenty of opportunity to escape. Do not let your pets harass them; they are very capable fighters. If a fight between your pet and a coyote starts, do not use your own hands or feet to separate them. Try to use a weapon such as a walking stick to break up the fight. Many reported bites are just as apt to be from the dog itself as the coyote. If you are ever bitten by a coyote, immediately report the incident to local health officials. If the offending animal cannot be captured and tested for disease, seek professional medical advice.
• Keep pet food out of the coyote’s reach and secure garbage cans. Coyotes are opportunistic and will make a meal of pet food or table scraps that are left in unsecured containers. If a dog or cat is fed outside, bring uneaten food inside as soon as the pet has finished eating. Place trash in a secure container so that it is unavailable to coyotes.
• Abide by leash laws and avoid letting dogs and cats roam freely. Coyotes kill and eat small dogs and house cats.
• Work with your neighbors to make your neighborhood undesirable to coyotes. If coyotes are frequenting your neighborhood,
you can be certain that they are being fed or are finding food. Work with your neighbors to eliminate food sources that are bringing the animals into the neighborhood.
• Be supportive of animal control and wildlife agencies that are working to manage coyotes and other wildlife and domestic animals.
• House small livestock in pens or coops.
• Frightening devices such as motion sensitive bright lights and noise makers have limited effectiveness.
• Exclusions, other than chain link fencing buried a foot underground and at least 5 feet above ground, are difficult and expensive due to the coyote’s abilities to jump and dig.
• Problem individuals can be trapped for removal by government agencies or private pest control companies if an animal has been killed or damage has occurred.
• Modify habitat to reduce and eliminate hiding areas for prey. Habitat modifications are the best method of reducing or eliminating the prey base and their food sources. Remove brush to help eliminate hiding places for both predator and prey. Junk piles or wood and slash piles are excellent cover for not only the predators but sometimes the prey they seek such as rabbits, rodents and squirrels.
