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Q. I live in Kings Grant subdivision, at the back by the huge expanse of woods between us and Ogden/Gordon Road. At least twice a week, between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. there is a pack of coyotes running frenzied in back of our house chasing other animals. Is there any way that New Hanover County can get rid of the coyotes? They could be rabid and a danger to our children and the neighborhood domestic animals.
A. According to Judy Evonko of the Animal Control Division, part of the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department, coyotes are a danger to the community. Unfortunately, her division is not allowed to trap wildlife. When dealing with coyotes or other wild animals, Evonko suggests calling an expert in wildlife removal.
Wildlife damage control officers are professionals trained specifically for these jobs and have licenses to do so.
One of these professionals is Jimmy English, who has been in this business for 45 years. Jimmy said he is aware of the coyotes around that area and that many in this area are affected by them. The county is getting more and more populated by these pesky animals and catching them is more complicated than one may realize.
Being a smart animal, coyotes are usually captured by using a foot-hold trap. The law says only the owner of an infested property can set this trap.
Mr. English said there have been no attacks on humans in this area. The coyotes here are still very timid around people and will most likely leave them alone.
As for domestic animals, he does suggest keeping them indoors at night in areas where coyotes are prevalent.
If you have any other questions, call Jimmy English of the Wildlife Removal Service at 910-279-4065.
RELATED LINKS:
Did Sunny Point release coyotes on its property on Dow Road to cut down on deer population?
What kind of wildlife can you see at local parks?
Date posted: January 16, 2013
User-contributed question by:
Cheryl
Domestic dogs are a far greater threat to your children and small pets than Coyotes will ever be. Coyotes have been shown to prey on domestic cats, one of the most destructive invasive species in the US. Domestic cats kill hundreds of millions of songbirds and over a billion small mammals in the US each year. Anything that removes a few cats that people let run wild is a good thing in my book, especially one as harmless as a Coyote. Here is a link from the Charlotte Observer that shows how big a ‘threat’ to people and pets urban Coyotes really are:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/16/3015983/putting-charlottes-coyote-threat.html