Officials: Almost A Dozen Bloomington Pets Killed By Coyotes
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The city of Bloomington says at least 11 pets have been killed by coyotes in the past year.
Officials say neighborhoods just north of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge have seen the highest concentration of coyote sightings and pet killings.
The majority of pets killed were small dogs, with the last fatal incident occurring on Feb. 24 in a neighborhood northeast of the Minnesota Valley Country Club.
Residents are advised to feed their pets indoors; do not leave food out for wild animals, besides using bird feeders; and do not leave garbage bags out and unsecured on your property.
Bloomington Animal Control has several tips for how to "haze," or scare away, coyotes. If one is in your yard, they recommend making loud noises via the combination yelling, shaking a pop can full of pennies or banging two metal bowls together, and throwing items at the coyote.
If you encounter a coyote on a trail, yell at them while clapping your hands and move towards them in a large, loud and confident manner.
Click here for more information on the city of Bloomington's website, including a detailed map of coyotes sightings and encounters in the city.
