Local

Residents call Dilworth area coyotes ‘nuisance,' worry for pets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Residents call Dilworth-area coyotes 'nuisance,' worry for pets

Coyotes are currently the talk of a Dilworth neighborhood. Residents recently snapped rare, daytime photos of the animal wandering near several homes.

Bill Demange walks his dog, Lilly, several times a day near his home on Ideal Way in Dilworth.

He said recent coyote sightings have created a far from ideal situation.

"I would guess it's because their habitat's been disturbed or whatever, and they're moving where there's food," Demange said.

Photos of a coyote roaming the street were taken around 1 p.m. Thursday. Mecklenburg County officials said there have been roughly 100 reported coyote sightings so far this year, many near homes, businesses and busy streets.

"It's not unusual to see a coyote in urban areas, even in an area that's close to Uptown," Chris Matthews, with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, said.

Matthews said coyotes are generally nocturnal, but they do come out during the day. And he says they normally pose no threat.

"Typically a coyote is not going to mess with a child. They're not harmful to people, there are very very few instances of coyotes attacking people," he said.

Animal Care and Control does not respond to coyote sightings, but officers will intervene if the animal appears to have rabies. Matthews said people need to be careful with household pets, especially small dogs or cats.

If you see a coyote in your neighborhood, the county asks you to fill out a report online. CLICK HERE for more information.

Anchor Peter Daut is talking with Parks and Rec about the animals and what residents can do to protect their pets. See his full report on Eyewitness News at 5 p.m. Join the conversation on Twitter with WSOC-TV and Peter Daut using #DilworthCoyote.