Police warn of coyotes attacking dogs in Westport, Conn.

There
have
been
several
coyote
attacks
on
dogs
in
Westport
recently
and
police
are
offering
tips
on
how
to
keep
your
pets
safe.

Police
said
while
there
have
been
several
attacks
on
dogs
in
town
lately,
fortunately,
none
were
fatal.

Here
are
some
things
you
can
do
to
keep
your
pets
safe.

• Supervise
  all
  pets
  while
  they
  are
  outside
  in
  the
  yard.
  • Coyotes
    avoid
    conflicts
    with
    humans
    so
    a
    human
    presence
    should
    prevent
    problems.
  • A
    fenced
    enclosure
    can
    help
    prevent
    unexpected
    wildlife
    encounters.
    Deer
    fences
    help
    keep
    deer
    out,
    but
    coyotes
    and
    other
    animals
    can
    often
    slip
    underneath.
• Motion
  lights
  can
  help
  alert
  homeowners
  to
  wild
  animals
  at
  night
  and
  could
  help
  deter
  coyotes.
• Carry
  a
  powerful
  flashlight
  and
  be
  aware
  of
  your
  surroundings
  when
  you
  are
  out
  at
  night
  with
  your
  pet.
• If
  you
  are
  walking
  with
  a
  small
  pet
  and
  see
  a
  coyote,
  you
  should
  pick
  the
  pet
  up.
  • Gradually
    retreat
    and
    keep
    your
    eyes
    on
    the
    coyote
    while
    also
    making
    noise.
• Coyotes
  can
  be
  driven
  away
  using
  noise
  including
  a
  high-decibel
  whistle
  or
  airhorn.
  You
  can
  also
  throw
  objects
  like
  balls,
  sticks
  and
  rocks.

According
to
police,
pets
smaller
than
30
pounds
are
at
serious
risk
from
coyotes,
but
sometimes
coyotes
tussle
with
larger
pets.

It’s
also
important
to
remember
that
coyotes
can
be
active
during
the
day
or
night.