Family says pet killed in Valentine’s Day coyote attack

WARREN — A beloved member of the Burton family of Warren, Lala was let out on the family’s back porch for just a few minutes when a wild coyote mauled and killed the small Shih Tzu on Valentine’s Day.

After the incident, several of their neighbors told the Burtons they have seen coyotes throughout the neighborhood.

“One (neighbor) sent me a picture of a coyote that was in the yard in the daytime,” Candace Burton said. “Other neighbors said they have reached out to the city multiple times to see if someone would address what was going on.”

Behind the neighborhood is a newer housing development that, according to Burton, halted progress for at least two years. Burton referred to it as Heritage Pointe, near 10 Mile and Schoenherr roads. Trees and woods were once adjacent to their backyard. Now, it’s an open space with piles of tree branches and limbs. Burton believes that has contributed to the coyotes in the area.

“Coyotes don’t need woods. They need debris,” Burton said as she recounted what her colleague who also hunts coyotes for a living said.

“Who is responsible for this debris? Who needs to clean this up?” Burton said. “This is absolutely absurd.”

According to Rachel Lincoln, outreach coordinator for the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, coyotes are a game species and can be hunted in areas where hunting is allowed by those with a hunting license. However, in urban areas like Warren, hunting with a firearm is prohibited. In this case, Lincoln recommends homeowners contact nuisance animal control companies to come in and remove those species.

“I reached out to (Warren) Animal Control. They said, ‘It was unfortunate that happened but there’s nothing we can do.”’

Burton continued about her neighbors and the city.

“The next couple days are going to be beautiful. My neighbor doesn’t want her kids to come out and play because she’s scared of the backyard, that the coyotes are going to come out because they have this debris built up,” Burton said. “My thing is this, if you don’t shovel your snow, Warren will give you a citation. If your grass is too high, they’ll say something. Why can’t we expect the same thing from you (the city) when it comes to keeping our city safe?

“Yes, you (the city) want our city to look good. And we (residents) want our city to look good. But we also want our kids to be safe. We want our pets to be safe when we buy $200,000 and $300,000 family homes. We want our family to be safe and Lala was part of our family,” Burton said.

Several efforts were made to contact Warren Mayor Lori Stone regarding this issue. An email response from her communication team stated, “The city is looking at the coyote issue and we will reach out when we have an update.”

According to Lincoln, when an animal nuisance is reported, the Michigan DNR is also made aware of it.

“Your phone call was actually the first time we heard about this situation,” said Lincoln. “I reached out to the Macomb County wildlife biologist, and they had not heard of this situation and really haven’t had any reports of aggressive coyotes this year or in the year previously.”

Coyotes are very adaptive, living and thriving in every county in Michigan, said Lincoln, who shared tips for successfully dealing with the animal.

She said January through March is the coyote breeding season. Thus, they are more mobile and moving around a lot. Males especially are covering their territory while they’re looking for a mate. They are hunting and protecting their territories and can become more aggressive toward other canine species.

This time of year, if you are letting your pets out, experts advise that you accompany them, keep them close by, or keep them on a leash.

It is also advisable to scout your yard before letting pets out, especially during dawn and dusk hours, when coyotes are frequently moving around. “Coyotes can’t really distinguish between a small squirrel, a small rabbit, or a small dog,” Lincoln said.

She said brush piles of tree limbs, branches and wood could house a family of rabbits or rodents that coyotes feed on.

“Take action now and remove it, so you don’t have issues with coyotes on your property,” Lincoln said.

It is also advisable to remove bird feeders that drop food to the ground. This attracts small mammals like chipmunks, squirrels, foxes and coyotes.

Coyotes on the move this time of year are looking for den sites, a place to raise their pups. Sometimes, these dens are close to houses. To reduce that possibility, Lincoln recommends removing food sources that attract small mammals that the coyote would eat as part of the food chain.

If you encounter a coyote, experts say to remain calm. Pick up your pet. Make loud noises. Extend your arms over your head or spread your arms wide to make yourself look bigger.  Stand your ground. Don’t walk toward or chase a coyote. Coyotes generally have a fear of humans, according to Lincoln.

“Coyotes are an extremely well-adapted animal that we have in Michigan. They’re able to adapt and thrive and live in these urban areas,” Lincoln said.