Westport Animal Control is reminding residents to be mindful of the presence of coyotes in the area after a report of an incident that occurred Tuesday evening on Roseville Road in the area of Joanne Circle

At about 10 p.m., police say a resident went outside with their dog and unbeknownst to them, a coyote was standing near the wood line.  The coyote approached and lunged at the dog, but the resident was able to run back inside before the dog and the coyote engaged with each other.

To be on the safe side, police say to take the following measures to protect your family pets:

• Always supervise your pets while they are out in the yard.
• While out at night with your pets, carry a powerful flashlight and keep tabs on your surroundings.
• Coyotes can be successfully startled or driven away using noisemakers such as a high-decibel whistle or air horn, or by throwing objects such as balls, sticks, or rocks.
• If you are walking a small pet and see a coyote, pick the pet up. Any time you are with your pet and see a coyote, give them a wide berth. You should gradually retreat but maintain situational awareness (keep eyes on the coyote) and be assertive and noisy by yelling or using a whistle.
• While at home, a fenced enclosure is the best way to prevent unexpected wildlife encounters. Deer fences are designed to keep out deer, but they do a poor job of excluding smaller species such as coyotes. Coyotes and other animals can often slip under deer fences.
• Motion-sensitive lights can help alert homeowners to wild intruders at night and can help deter coyotes.
• Pets smaller than 30 pounds are at serious risk from coyotes, but coyotes will tussle with larger pets on occasion. Even larger pets will benefit from supervision.
• It is important to remember that coyotes can be active day or night.

Coyotes are now found throughout North America, and are adaptable and opportunistic members of the canine family. Statistically, they pose very little risk to humans, and police say there have been only two recorded fatal attacks by coyotes on humans in the last 100 years in North America. Still, they can be a risk to pets, so be vigilant.