Fort Lauderdale community on edge following coyote attack on local animals
By Nicole Linsalata, Aaron Page
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WSVN) — A disturbing find on the front lawn of a Fort Lauderdale home revealed a potential concern over coyotes.
Security cameras near Westwood Heights Elementary School captured the moments two coyotes attacked a stray cat in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood.
“I thought it was a stuffed animal,” said Masie Masie, a homeowner who did not want her face shown. “It was really flat, so I went over and I realized it was a cat and I realized it was dead. I was like, ‘Did someone dump a cat in my yard’?”
The cat’s appearance on her lawn confused her, so Masie checked her cameras Monday morning, where the deadly confrontation was caught. A stray cat drew the attention of two coyotes, leading to one pouncing on it and the other following shortly after.
“I was like, Oh, it’s so, it’s not wooded around here,” said Masie. “So not expecting it.”
Masie ensured that as many of her neighbors as possible were aware of the worrying issue.
“When they were done, he was dead, and they went off. It looked like something spooked them, so they left,” the witness said.
Coyotes roaming suburban areas has become a frightening trend. Half a mile away, over the summer, a large coyote was spotted roaming a patio, jumping on top of trash cans, and wandering the area.
“In the 10 years that I’ve been living here, I’ve never seen a coyote,” said Jesse Espinosa, a homeowner. “Or anything even close to that size.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife said coyotes have been spotted in every Florida county and are highly adaptable to their surroundings, even if those surroundings are suburban homes, schools, and busy streets. As coyotes become more comfortable living around humans, the population is expected to grow.
Neighbors said in a neighborhood with cats, small dogs, and children, the appearance of two coyotes is worrying.
“I’m concerned,” said Sheron Laltaseepaul, a neighbor. “Not only for the animals but also about the kids too, who walk around the neighborhood.”
“I’ll walk out here with my dog,” said another homeowner. “I have to because, like I said, he’s small.”
“We have a lot of cats that we feed out here,” said Antonio Sefonetes, a neighbor. “Imagine now with two coyotes loose around here. It worries me. I don’t understand where they come from.”
The FWC also suggested that if you see coyotes in your neighborhood, try and deter them with things like sprinklers, audible alarms, or anything that could scare them or give them the sense that they are not welcome there.
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