GLOUCESTER — Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Interim Chief John McCarthy and the Gloucester Police Department are advising residents to keep a careful watch on all pets after a resident’s dog was killed by a coyote last night.
At approximately 9:30 p.m., Gloucester Animal Control responded to Sumac Lane for reports of a resident whose dog had been attacked and killed by a coyote. The dog was on a fixed leash in the yard while its owner was inside the home. Animal Control officers searched the surrounding area but did not find the coyote.
Animal Control officers and Gloucester Environmental Police are monitoring the entire Rocky Neck area today.
To prevent coyote attacks, Gloucester Police advise residents to follow safety tips from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife:
• Do not approach, feed, pet, or try to interact with wildlife, including coyotes, foxes, or other wild animals.
• It is always a good idea to leash pets at all times if outdoors. Small cats and dogs are seen as prey and larger dogs, competition.
• Don’t hesitate to scare or threaten coyotes with loud noises, bright lights, or water sprayed from a hose.
• Cut back brushy edges, as these areas provide cover for coyotes and their prey.
• Secure your garbage. Coyotes raid open trash materials and compost piles. Secure your garbage in tough plastic containers with tight-fitting lids and keep them in secure buildings when possible. Take out trash when the morning pick up is scheduled, not the previous night. Keep compost in secure, vented containers, and keep barbecue grills clean to reduce attractive odors.
• Keep bird feeder areas clean. Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground, as the seed attracts many small mammals coyotes prey upon. Remove feeders if coyotes are regularly seen around your yard.
More information regarding the city’s increasing coyote population will be released on the City of Gloucester website this week.
Anyone who sees a coyote in Gloucester should immediately contact Gloucester Animal Control at 978-281-9746.
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