Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 149 (the “District”) received a report from a resident of a coyote sighting. The District has confirmed additional coyote sightings. The District is not taking any action to remove the coyote(s) at this time, but has tips on how to keep you and your family safe.
Coyotes may mistake small, unattended pets as prey or attack large dogs they view as threats to territory or dens. To keep your animals safe, take two simple steps:
- Watch your pets. Keep cats indoors, and never leave small dogs outside unsupervised or let any dog out of your yard off leash. Secure food sources. Store garbage in wildlife-proof containers and feed pets indoors.
- Do not deliberately feed coyotes. You may enjoy hand-feeding animals, but this is a surefire way to get them accustomed to people and will ultimately lead to their demise. Here are some other general rules about feeding:
Avoid feeding pets outside. If you must, feed them only for a set time during the day (for no more than one hour) and remove the food bowl as soon as your pet has finished his or her meal.
Free-roaming pets, especially cats and sometimes small dogs, may attract coyotes into certain neighborhoods. The best way to minimize risk to your pets is to not leave them outside unattended.
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