ORLANDO, Fla. – A large coyote caught on camera walking up to homes in an Orange County neighborhood has some people changing their routines to protect their pets
The warning came to News 6 through the News 6 Neighborhood Network.
Matthew Pitell, who lives in the Pembrooke subdivision near MetroWest, sent News 6 videos showing the coyote near homes and front doors. Pitell said the animal has become an almost daily visitor, usually showing up early in the morning. He has also seen it cross his backyard toward the nearby Bermuda Dunes condominium community as late as 10:30 p.m.
Pitell said he wanted to get the video out to warn other people in the neighborhood, particularly those with pets.
News 6 found he isn’t the only neighbor who has encountered the animal.
Doug Way said he was walking his dachshund, Addie, around 10 p.m. Saturday when he initially mistook the coyote for a stray dog.
Way said the animal ran off, but then turned back and came within feet of him and Addie before eventually heading toward a nearby retention area.
“I feel like if I were not out here with Addie, she wouldn’t be with us anymore. Or a cat or any of the pets in the neighborhood,” Way said. “He was very sizable.”
Way said he and his wife are now taking Addie out earlier. Two other neighbors News 6 spoke with while they were walking small dogs said they have also adjusted when they take their pets outside.
Why doesn’t Orange County remove the coyote?
Pitell told News 6 he had contacted Orange County hoping someone could help but was told the county does not handle coyotes.
Orange County Animal Services confirmed to News 6 that coyote calls are referred to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Animal Services said it will respond to large wildlife if the animal is sick or injured, but other coyote concerns fall under FWC.
FWC says coyotes have been documented in all 67 Florida counties and are found in rural, suburban and urban areas. The agency does not ask people to report routine coyote sightings. It does, however, ask people experiencing conflicts with coyotes – or seeing unusual or aggressive behavior – to contact FWC for guidance.
FWC also says simply removing coyotes is not generally an effective long-term solution because other coyotes can move into the same territory. Reducing food sources and other things that attract them is one of the most effective ways to prevent conflicts.
How to protect pets and discourage coyotes
- FWC says coyotes can prey on cats and small dogs. Among the agency’s recommendations are:
- Keep cats indoors and do not allow pets to roam freely.
- Walk dogs on a short leash, particularly at night, dusk and dawn.
- Supervise pets outside, even in fenced yards, and check fences for gaps coyotes could get through.
- Secure garbage and keep pet food indoors.
- Clean grills and remove fallen fruit and birdseed that could attract wildlife.
- Never feed coyotes.
- If a coyote approaches, make noise, yell, and wave your arms to encourage it to leave. A strong spray from a water hose can also be used as a deterrent.
- Contact FWC if a coyote is approaching people closely, allowing people to approach it, behaving aggressively or creating an ongoing conflict.
FWC provided similar guidance to News 6 in response to questions about the Pembrooke sightings.
The timing of the Pembrooke sightings comes just before an FWC event aimed at helping Floridians understand the animals.
FWC is hosting a free virtual coyote presentation Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. An FWC biologist will discuss coyote biology and behavior, their role in Florida’s ecosystem, why they show up in communities, and ways people can prevent and resolve conflicts.
FWC says registration is not required and space is unlimited. The presentation is held through Microsoft Teams. People joining from a computer do not need to download the Teams app, though mobile users may need the app.
Information on joining the presentation, additional coyote safety guidance, and resources for protecting pets are available on FWC’s coyote webpage.