Coyotes in Pinellas (Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Riverview: 2015, condos, houses)

[fafnir]

purplepandan: What neighborhood are you in and have you reported it to Animal
Services? They have a reporting system on their website for coyote sightings.

[livesintriangle]

My friend is in the Largo area and is afraid to walk her small dogs because of it

It's so amazing given that Pinellas is the most densely populated county.

[mhough]

I've been reading a lot about coyotes all over Pinellas. Didn't the county have a
guy that handled wildlife?...and if they did, what happened to him? I've got friends
who called Animal Services and Fish and Game about coyote problems and were told
they didn't handle them!

[rsmithcw]

This morning at 5am I was woken up by the sound of a small animal being killed. When I went to investigate I was horrified to discover that the small animal was one of my cats. And two coyotes were in my front yard. They grabbed his body and ran down the road. I went back inside to get my glasses and better shoes and ran back out to retrieve his body. I searched the surrounding streets until I spotted them again and chased after the one carrying my cat, until he dropped him. As I discovered which cat it was and picked him up in my shirt and I could see the coyote watching me about 60 feet away. I live on the 2000 block of Magnolia Drive near Hercules 33764. They had retreated east on Magnolia and South down Normandy Road to Burnice Drive which is where I retrieved my cat's body. I returned to my house and later at about 6am I went back out to pratrol knowing that they would probably return in search of a replacement meal. I spotted the pair of them again on Magnolia Drive near Woodley Road and followed as they headed south again. They disappeared from sight again on Burnice Drive. They are not readily afraid of humans unless they see you as a threat. Considering the high number of sightings and reports of them not being afraid of humans it is clear that the City isn't doing anything to make the problem go away.

Report a Coyote Sighting Form

It's clear to me that if the coyotes are not afraid of humans, then the humans need to put some fear into the coyotes. If you sight a coyote rather than just observing and letting him go on his happy way, we need to jump up and down, shout, and throw things at them at and make them fear humans and thus fear the city. They are at the top of their food chain and do not see us as a threat at all. In fact we encourage them by having easy food sources for them (our pets) and by being afraid of them.
I'm sure the development of lands that were once their natural habitat has forced them to urban areas and I am sorry that that has happened to them. But, this is a CITY in a large metro area, not some backwater town in the middle of no where. The coyotes have to GO. And don't some city official start reciting city ordinances that make the citizens be at fault on this matter. Isn't our ordinances and City officials supposed to be protecting it's citizens from legimate threats to our happiness and livelyhood as Americans? WILD ANIMALS roaming freely in the city day and night preying on our pets and what's next a small child? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS?????

[Kathleen1971]

I am real sorry that happened to you as it sounds like one of my worst nightmares. I will say however that I hope people take note that it's best to keep your pets indoors which will help reduce the risk of a coyote attack.

Again, my heart goes out to you.

[Ken E]

We have them up this way also. They make awsome living room ornaments.

[goi_cuon]

Originally Posted by rsmithcw

This morning at 5am I was woken up by the sound of a small animal being killed. When I went to investigate I was horrified to discover that the small animal was one of my cats. [SNIP]. . .where I retrieved my cat's body. I returned to my house and later at about 6am I went back out to pratrol knowing that they would probably return in search of a replacement meal. . . [SNIP] They are not readily afraid of humans unless they see you as a threat. [SNIP] It's clear to me that if the coyotes are not afraid of humans, then the humans need to put some fear into the coyotes. [SNIP] I'm sure the development of lands that were once their natural habitat has forced them to urban areas and I am sorry that that has happened to them. But, this is a CITY in a large metro area, not some backwater town in the middle of no where. The coyotes have to GO. And don't some city official start reciting city ordinances that make the citizens be at fault on this matter. Isn't our ordinances and City officials supposed to be protecting it's citizens from legimate threats to our happiness and livelyhood as Americans? WILD ANIMALS roaming freely in the city day and night preying on our pets and what's next a small child? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS?????

Please. If the coyotes aren't afraid of us it's because our neighbors think it's "cool" to feed them. Or by proxy, they let their pets roam free. The pet food left outdoors attracts the coyotes and other vermin (pigeons, rats, raccoons, possums) and puts our pets at risk. Free roaming pets are prey to predators. These animals aren't evil; they are animals. You can keep your pets safe by keeping them inside.

You don't need to fear walking your dog of any size; you need to walk your dog rather than turning him out to do his business alone and unsupervised.

Coyotes aren't in Pinellas because they have been pushed out of their natural habitat. They are in Pinellas because, like rats and roaches, they can adapt to any environment. They have been creeping across the country for years. I've been reading about them in the newspapers over the last decade from time to time.

I'd like to see all of the invasive exotic species go from Florida. The Burmese python and Nile monitor, iguana and many others were introduced by people. The coyote came of its own accord.

Make the habitat inhospitable and the vermin will perish.

[rsmithcw]

Well it is of my opinion that the coyote is not afraid of people only because he has nothing to be afraid of us for. I know many people will agree that it is acceptable to have indoor/outdoor pets and when you live in a City in a large Metro area, such as Clearwater/St. Petersburg you would expect that there would not be free wild roaming animals that will kill and eat you cat or dog in your yard whether it is fenced in or not. I've lived in Clearwater for 16 years and it wasn't until 2009 did I ever hear about or experience a coyote problem. So I would have to disagree that they have been here all this time in the numbers that they are now. Something has changed and now they are in much greater numbers than they once were and they are now living and hunting in our neighborhoods. And I am a bit ticked off that the Pinellas County Animal Services has a web page entitled "Coyotes, they are here to stay in Pinellas County" . So basically, Pinellas County don't care and we had better get used to our pets being eaten by wild animals.

[lavender]

You need to call in animal services.
I keep seeing notes for missing cats and little dogs in my area, I know where they have gone!

[Kenny48]

Too many gun nuts around here, if you ask me.

Just turn me loose back out west, where we like our varmints!