11/28/2025
From our colleagues at Stratford Animal Control…
Why You Should Not Call Animal Control for a Healthy Coyote in Your Neighborhood — and When You Should
Seeing a coyote in your neighborhood is usually normal and not a cause for alarm. Most of the time, a healthy coyote simply passing through does not require a response from animal control.
Why You Shouldn’t Call for a Normal Sighting
1. Coyotes Naturally Live Near People
It is normal for coyotes to travel through residential areas in search of food, mates, or territory. Their presence alone isn’t an emergency.
2. Animal Control Cannot Remove Healthy Coyotes
By law, animal control officers cannot trap or relocate healthy wildlife. Only licensed nuisance wildlife control operators can do so, and only under specific circumstances.
3. Healthy Coyotes Are Not a Threat
A coyote moving normally, keeping distance, and not showing unusual behavior is considered healthy.
4. Increased Sightings Are Seasonal and Expected
During mating season, pup-rearing, and juvenile dispersal, coyotes are more visible. This is normal and temporary.
5. Over-reporting Ties Up Emergency Resources
Calling animal control for every healthy sighting delays responses to genuine emergencies involving injured animals, sick wildlife, or public safety concerns.
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When the Public Should Call Animal Control
Residents should contact animal control immediately if a coyote is showing any of the following:
1. Abnormal or Concerning Behavior
• Approaching people without hesitation
• Showing aggression (growling, lunging, charging)
• Stalking pets or following people
• Appearing disoriented or unsteady
• Acting unusually tame or fearless
2. Signs of Illness or Injury
• Visible wounds or bleeding
• Severe limping
• Foaming at the mouth
• Staying in one spot for long periods or not responding to nearby activity
3. Threats to Public Safety
• Attempting to attack pets
• Lingering in schoolyards, playgrounds, or busy public areas
• Refusing to leave even after hazing attempts
4. A Coyote That Appears Trapped or Entangled
If a coyote is stuck in fencing, caught in a trap, or unable to move away, animal control should be notified.
Why It’s Important to Haze a Coyote
Hazing is a technique used to actively discourage coyotes from approaching people, homes, or public areas. It is important for several reasons:
1. Maintains a Coyote’s Natural Fear of Humans
Coyotes are naturally wary of people. When they’re hazed—by making loud noises, waving arms, or using approved deterrents—they learn to keep their distance. This helps prevent them from becoming comfortable around neighborhoods.
2. Reduces Risk of Aggressive Behavior
Coyotes that lose their fear of humans may begin approaching people, pets, or yards. That loss of fear greatly increases the chance of conflicts. Hazing reinforces boundaries before a situation escalates.
3. Prevents Unsafe Habituation
When coyotes become habituated (too accustomed to humans), they may begin expecting food or lingering in populated areas. Habituated coyotes are much more likely to be removed or euthanized for public safety. Hazing helps protect the animal from this outcome.
4. Supports Healthy Wildlife Behavior
Coyotes should rely on natural food sources and natural survival behaviors. Hazing keeps them focused on hunting rodents and staying within wild or wooded areas, not hanging around people or homes.
5. A Key Part of Coexisting Safely
In communities where coyotes live near people, hazing is a simple, humane way to maintain safe boundaries without harming the animal.
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Coyotes Don’t Form Packs Like Wolves
Coyote groups are typically family units made up of a breeding pair and their offspring. They don’t have the rigid, hierarchical pack structures that wolves do.
Circumstances That Lead to a Coyote Being Pushed Out
A coyote may leave—or be pressured to leave—the group when:
• The breeding pair defends its territory
• An older juvenile becomes competitive
• Food resources are limited
• Tension or conflict increases within the group
In many cases, the coyote responds to ongoing social pressure rather than a single dramatic event.
Natural Dispersal
Most young coyotes naturally disperse at around 6–12 months of age. This is normal and allows them to:
• Establish their own territory
• Find a mate
• Avoid competing with their parents for food
This natural dispersal can look similar to being pushed out.
What Happens After They Leave
Coyotes that leave their family group may travel long distances, live alone for a period, and eventually pair up to form a new family unit. This is a normal and important part of their life cycle.
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More info: https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/fact-sheets/coyote
