Police Warn Of Coyote Sightings In Gwinnett Co. Amid Breeding Season

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Coyotes have been spotted in Gwinnett County, and police are warning residents to keep them and their pets safe.

"We have received reports of coyote sightings in the area," Gwinnett County Police said Thursday, not revealing where specifically coyotes have been seen.

Police said breeding season for coyotes is from late February to early March, and coyotes could be in search of food and protection, making pets a target.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, coyotes can be located in suburban and urban areas.

"A coyote resembles a medium-sized dog, weighing 25–45 pounds, with mottled fur and a bushy tail. They communicate through high-pitched cries, shrieks, barking, and whining or yips that can be heard in the evening. Although coyotes commonly live in small family groups, they are primarily solitary hunters. Coyotes are omnivores and their diet depends on which foods are most readily available, including small mammals, such as mice and voles, dead animals, and soft and hard mast, such as berries and acorns," the DNR said.

While the DNR says simply seeing a coyote should not be concerning, coyotes and humans sharing the space can create conflict.

The DNR advises the following:

• Do not feed or approach coyotes.
• Secure food attractants such as garbage, pet food and bird seed.
» Feed pets indoors when possible. If pets must be fed outside, remove food bowls when finished.
» Remove excess bird seed on the ground that may be attracting mice to your yard, which in turn attracts coyotes.
• Haze, or scare, coyotes out of your yard. Coyotes are naturally wary of people. Consistent hazing helps keep this
fear of people intact.
» Bang pots and pans, yell or use an air horn.
» Use a water hose or motion activated sprinkler to move coyotes a safe distance away.
• Close off crawl spaces to prevent coyotes from using these spaces as dens

Police offered the following safety tips to protect against coyotes:

• Don’t leave small pets unattended, even in a fenced yard. Attacks can happen while animals are off-leash in a yard enclosed by a fence.

• Cats and small dogs should not be left outside at night. Attacks are most common between 7 p.m.-7 a.m., while cat assaults are more likely to happen between 10 p.m.-5 a.m.

• Don't leave food or trash out at night. Coyotes that eat human or pet food are more likely to attack pets. It should be noted that coyote attacks on humans are uncommon. Most of the reports in the area are merely sightings, not actual attacks on pets or humans.