What to do if encountering a coyote
A Coyote attack on a human is highly improbable, even in areas with a sizable coyote population. In New York State alone, an average of 650 people are hospitalized from dog attacks every year. In contrast, only a few Coyote attacks occur annually across the nation.
So the risk is very low and would be lower, except well-meaning people feed them, leading them to associate humans with food. Most people run when they see a Coyote and thereby behave like prey. Coyotes almost always run rather than fight, and trapped ones typically cower. However, Coyotes fed by humans become less fearful of us.
Coming face to face with a Coyote
Should you come face-to-face with one, it may stay where it is to watch you out of curiosity. Or, it may pretend to ignore you and go about its business. Either way, Coyotes need to stay afraid of humans if we’re to continue to co-exist peacefully. So even though you may prefer to act more kindly, be aggressive.
First, pick up small children and pets. Wave your arms, yell, throw stones. It’ll turn and run away, telling itself you’re one nasty creature. Never turn your back. In the remote chance you’re attacked, fight back. Hit and kick; don’t play dead as you would if attacked by a domestic dog—Coyotes eat carrion, so this trick won’t work. Let it know you’re one tough customer, too much to mess with.
If you get bitten or scratched, immediately seek medical treatment. Coyotes seldom have rabies, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Left untreated, rabies is fatal.
Are pets safe?
Dogs and cats are easy to catch and have become a favorite prey of urban Coyotes. Some Coyotes reportedly prowl neighborhoods specifically looking for unprotected pets. A determined one can jump an 8-foot (2.4 m) fence and is willing to climb even higher! Even if you believe your yard is completely secure, don’t leave pets smaller than a German Shepherd outside overnight. If you keep rabbits or other small animals outdoors, keep them in cages made of solid framing and heavy gauge wire (chicken wire isn’t strong enough). The wire should extend across the bottom of the cage, as well.
How to protect yard from coyotes
If you’re living in a Coyote area, remain with small pets and small children when they’re outside. Untended small pets are easily taken. Coyotes have historically stayed away from humans, but they’ve begun to lose their fear of people in some areas—not a good thing. A Coyote hunting for food may not make a distinction between a raccoon and a small child. Never walk a dog smaller than a German Shepherd off-leash. It takes labor and expense to effectively bar these intelligent, agile animals from your yard, but it can be done. Here’s how.
Coyote fence (Washington Dept. Fish & Wildlife; public domain)
Construct a wood or wire 6-foot (1.8 m) fence. Top it with an extender strung with wire (some use barbed wire) and set it at a 45-degree angle. Coyotes are good climbers. They’re also good diggers, so galvanized wire mesh must be buried at least 8 inches (20 cm) in the ground. Some say to extend the buried wire out a foot (30 cm) or more from the base of the fence, as you see in the illustration. It will help, too, to remove brush and tall grass on the outside of your fence so Coyotes don’t have the protective cover they prefer. A lot of work is involved here, but it’s worth it if you have Coyotes in your neighborhood and pets and small children using your yard.
Another possible solution is the Coyote Roller.
Discourage Coyotes by picking fruit as soon as it’s ripe and keep rotting fruit picked up. Block entrances to any outbuildings and crawl spaces on your property to prevent them from being used as dens. Make your compost bin inaccessible if you use it for garbage. If you feed birds, be aware that their seed attracts rodents, which in turn attracts Coyotes.
What to do about a Coyote problem
If you have a Coyote problem, you can call Animal Control in your area and try to have them removed from the area. But these are very clever canines and this is often unsuccessful. Besides, eradication disturbs the ecosystem, as Coyotes help keep other species under control. Other Coyotes will eventually move in to fill the space left by the ones you’ve removed. Unless your area becomes overrun with them, safeguarding your property while allowing the Coyotes to go about their lives is the best solution.
Coyotes and rabies
In the 2020 rabies report1 (the most recent) by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, across the U.S., only five Coyotes tested positive for rabies. So, the likelihood of encountering a rabid Coyote is pretty remote. However, the possibility always exists. Never approach a Coyote or try to pet one. If you see one behaving strangely—acting aggressive (Coyotes are normally shy), listless, lacking balance, or drooling, for example, call Animal Control.
