North Andover Animal Control: Lots Of Recent Coyote Sightings

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover Animal Control has received a lot of calls recently about coyote spottings in town, the police department said.

The eastern coyote is found in every area of Massachusetts except the islands, according to the state. They "thrive in suburban, urban and rural areas."

The animal control office shared the following information:

Coyotes are not an uncommon sight in most towns and cities these days, especially with us encroaching more and more on their land. They often tend to avoid people, but with such a plentiful food source found in unsecured garbage cans, outdoor pet bowls and small rodents, we are spotting them closer to home than we would expect.

This is the time of year when juvenile coyotes often tend to leave their parents and start off on their own for the first time. Since they are young and inexperienced, you will likely start to see them more in areas where you have not seen coyotes before.

While coyotes are not generally a threat to people, they may become aggressive if approached or provoked. If you spot a coyote, or any wild animal for that matter, it is important to remember that they are wild, and you should not attempt to pet or feed them.

It is also important to note that coyotes cannot differentiate between food and pets. If you have a small dog or an outdoor cat, be sure you are outside with them and always have them on a leash. Larger dogs may not be seen as prey for a coyote, but can be viewed as a threat, so, it is always best to have your dog on a leash (it is also required by law if you are off of your own property, unless given permission by the land owner) especially if you live near or are walking through a wooded area.

The Humane Society of the United States has a great web page with several different articles on what to do about coyotes in your area: https://www.humanesociety.org/resou.../what-do-about-coyotes

If you have questions or concerns regarding a coyote in North Andover, please contact Animal Control Officer, Katie Kozikowski, at 978-242-1511 or animalcontrol@NAPD.us

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.