How to Keep Your Dog or Cat Safe From Coyotes
While we may associate coyotes with the desert, or mountains, or wherever road runners live, there’s a good chance they’re in or near your area. It doesn’t matter if you live in the suburbs, in the countryside, or even in the city, because coyotes are quite adaptable and can live in a wide variety of climates.
And don’t think that just because you haven’t seen a coyote in your backyard, you live in a coyote-free zone. According to the US Humane Society , the reason we don’t usually see coyotes in our area is because they tend to only come out at night to hunt small critters like mice, voles, and rabbits.
But they can also easily cook a meal out of a cat or a small dog. If your local news channel is showing a story about coyote sightings, that’s probably what happened. Here’s how to keep your dog or cat safe from coyotes (and local news).
Don’t let them out at night without you
As noted by the Humane Society , the best way to keep your dog or cat safe from coyotes is not to let them out without watching them, especially at night.
Be especially careful during mating season
As it turns out, there is usually a spike in coyote sightings around this time of year. This is because the coyote breeding season starts in mid-January and lasts until the end of February. So right now.
“As the animals go through a courtship period and become territorial, they tend to become more visible when they move around with their mates ,” said Brett Beatty, head of wildlife management for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. VKPO .
Don’t leave your pet’s food outside
If your pet has the opportunity to dine outdoors, be sure to bring their bowls of food and water inside at night. Otherwise, you are essentially inviting coyotes into your yard for a bite to eat, and chances are they will return.