Coyote Kills Wyckoff Family, Dog

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Wyckoff NJ, the Wyckoff Police report that on Tuesday evening, a resident of Wyckoff, who resides in the Spring Meadow area, reported that a coyote had taken their small family dog from their backyard which bordered a wooded area. A short time later, the dog was found but tragically, had succumbed to its injuries. Wyckoff Police responded and documented the incident and immediately contacted Tyco Animal Control, who is our contracted service. Tyco monitored the situation and is investigating, but there are certain State rules about what actions they can take at this time. As posted earlier this week, contact us, if an animal is acting aggressively or threatening so that we can contact animal control to respond. Further, please use our main phone line, 201-891-2121 to report non-emergent animal sightings rather than 911. 911 is to be used for actual emergencies only. Below, we have posted some Wild Animal Awareness tips concerning Coyotes provided by Tyco.

Wild Animal Awareness-Coyotes

As humans expand their living areas and coyotes expand their range, contact between the two is inevitable. Most of the time, coyotes go out of their way to avoid humans. In urban areas, coyotes are changing their behavior because of human behavior.

These animals have become very accustomed to people due to finding food left on their properties. This is a serious concern. As they lose their fear, they will approach people looking for more food, putting themselves in hazardous situations that they would normally avoid. They will take advantage of eating whatever food is available. To prevent coyotes from coming on your property, you can take the following actions: close garbage and dumpster lids tightly; do not leave any food, including pet food, outside; clearing brush and weeds from around your house to reduce protective cover for coyotes and prey animals.

Coyotes prey mostly on deer, rodents, rabbits, and roadkill. If you have noticed coyotes in your neighborhood, you probably have also noticed a reduction in rats, chipmunks, and squirrels. Coyotes are beneficial as a form of rodent control. Complaints about vermin have decreased greatly over the years. This is nature achieving a balanced environment!

One of the more common diseases that coyotes get is Sarcoptic mange. This year’s heavy rainfall may lead to more mammals with this disease. Mange is a skin condition that is very irritating to the host animal. This can be easily treated in domestic pets. Treatment of wildlife is not possible. Living in wet den areas does not help this condition. Many animals survive this skin rash and go on to live long healthy lives. Some animals may die from this disease because they have other underlying immunity issues.

Most towns in Bergen and Passaic Counties have a thriving population of coyotes. People should always be cautious when dealing with all wildlife. No matter how cute an animal is, you should not attempt to catch, touch or feed them. Never leave children or small domestic pets unsupervised(pets unleashed), even in familiar surroundings. You may also want to keep a compressed air horn or walking stick with you while walking your dog. DO NOT RUN from a coyote! Enjoy the bountiful wildlife that surrounds us from a distance. This will keep you and our natural neighbors safe.

If you find an injured or sick animal always call Wyckoff Police (201-891-2121) and let them dispatch professionals to handle the situation. Never attempt to approach or handle wildlife.