Westport police posted several coyote safety tips on the department's Facebook page. The information drew a comment from one resident who reported the animals in Willowbrook Cemetery and in the Richmonville Avenue area, sometimes in packs.
To avoid coyotes:
- Never feed coyotes. It is illegal and endangers your family and neighbors as it lures them into neighborhoods.
- Keep unattended cats and dogs indoors or in completely enclosed runs, especially at night. Do not assume that a fence will keep a coyote out of your back yard.
- Accompany your leashed pet outside. Turn on lights if dark to check for unexpected wildlife.
- Keep dogs on short leashes (six feet) when walking outside.
- Have noisemakers (whistles and horns) to scare away coyotes that enter the yard.
When you encounter a coyote:
- Don't run or turn your back.
- Don't allow a coyote to get in between you and your pet or child. Keep kids close.
- Yell, clap hands, blow a whistle and try to make yourself look larger if you have a close encounter with a coyote.
- Contact police if there is an immediate danger with a coyote.
To report coyote sightings, call the Animal Control Office at 203-341-6011.
Click here for the department's Facebook page.
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