As many are aware, coyotes are prevalent throughout New York State and it is not uncommon to sight them in the Town of Greece. After receiving calls from concerned residents, Supervisor Reilich wanted to make the public aware of what the Town of Greece Department of Animal Control is doing in response.
Coyotes are highly intelligent animals that adapt well to changing habitats and conditions in both suburban and urban areas. This makes their capture quite challenging. When responding to calls regarding coyotes, Greece Animal Control’s first priority is determining whether the animal is an immediate threat to people or pets. Secondly, they determine if the animal is sick or injured to the point where it could possibly be captured and appropriately dealt with. Most calls received are of the nuisance variety where the animal is causing concern simply by its presence.
The following list will help educate on the behavior of coyotes and what you can do to avoid frequent encounters:
– Be very careful with pets – in particular cats and small breed dogs. Keep your pets under close supervision and good control. Pets that roam are targets for coyotes. Larger dogs are generally safe, however they may want to chase the coyote which could result in injury.
– Make certain there are no food sources available to encourage coyotes to frequent certain areas: pet food outside, bird feeders, and garbage cans all encourage coyotes to keep coming back to the same area, and they WILL remember.
– Do not allow the coyotes to be comfortable in the neighborhoods. Harass them when they are seen. Yell, clap hands, stomp feet, make lots of noise to frighten them and chase them off. Do not let them lose their fear of humans. Wild animals are generally afraid of people and will avoid humans.
– Call 911 if you require immediate assistance with an aggressive coyotes (or any aggressive animal).
“Some residents have expressed concerns regarding coyote sightings, so I wanted to provide the public with some educational information on what practices will help in avoiding frequent encounters with the animals” said Supervisor Reilich. “Our Town of Greece Department of Animal Control is fully aware of the sightings and provides educational information to residents that address their concerns. Specifically regarding small pets, I would like to remind all Town of Greece residents to exercise extra caution when allowing their pets to go unleashed or unsupervised outdoors”.