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A WILD coyote has been caught on camera attacking a neighbor’s cat.
Dozens of sightings have been reported in and around the Salt Lake City area in recent months.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen a coyote,” resident of 17 years Terry Bayerlein told local outlet ABC4 Utah.
Bayerlein lives in a neighborhood near the state Capitol grounds in Salt Lake City.
She called police after seeing the wild coyote eating the cat.
“There’s so many sightings lately and it makes me wonder if there’s a den close by or if they’re coming into the neighborhoods because of the amount of cats that are roaming,” Bayerlein said.
The Division of Wildlife Resources told the outlet it doesn’t have the management authority to handle the animals.
Instead, residents are forced to pay out of pocket to contact private animal service companies to respond.
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But the cat isn’t the only pet in the area to die at the paws of a coyote.
A 5-year-old Miniature Schnauzer was killed in June after he “left his property through an open gate,” according to ABC4 Utah.
Pet owners in the area are urged to check on their furry friends to ensure their safety.
Coyotes typically see small dogs as food, according to Salt Lake County Animal Services.
Larger dogs are seen as a threat.
Animal Services told the outlet that coyotes have been known to take pets straight from their backyards or even off of their leashes.
In parts of San Diego, California, residents are having a similar issue.
Coyotes have been spotted roaming front lawns and engaging with pets.
“Coyotes aren’t new to our neighborhood, but it hasn’t been like this before,” Melanie Granfors told the San Diego Union-Tribune..
“They used to be only in the canyons, but now they are walking the streets. We’re all scared.”