'Get Them Out Of Here': Erie Residents Fed Up With Neighborhood Coyotes
ERIE, Colo. (CBS4) - With an increasing number of pets becoming food for coyotes in the town of Erie, community members from the area met with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Friday night. They hope to give them a better picture of just how serious the problem is.
"I just don't feel comfortable. I don't feel safe. I just feel like I can't go in my backyard and enjoy my home anymore," said Jeanie Stewart.
Jeanie couldn't help but cry as she talked about Bridget, her Bichon Fresee that was killed three weeks ago by a coyote.
"She survived one attack in July when the coyote was hiding on the side of the house, and we didn't know it."
The last attack, even with her husband outside, the coyote was determined.
"I was standing right over here with our moon boots on and bath robe with my pistol. It jumped the fence, grabbed her, shook her, broke her neck went down into the corner of the fence," said Mark Stewart.
Mark didn't even have time to use his pellet gun. Bridget was gone within seconds.
About a week later, the same coyote was back, but this time, Mark was ready.
"I shot it in the chest. It was just a pellet gun, but it hit it," he said.
At Friday night's meeting, CPW told Mark, it's unfortunately illegal to shoot coyotes to defend your animals. A pellet gun, while not normally lethal, could even be considered animal cruelty.
Jeanie says she and her husband don't know what else to do. Their presence alone is no longer enough and her neighbors report the same.
"At Highlands Ranch, dogs are getting taken. Erie Commons, dogs are getting taken. There's been over 24 attacks, and that's just this year within the last three to four weeks."
Last month, a coyote entered an open sliding glass door and attacked a cat several homes down from the Stewarts.
CPW is investigating incidents of residents feeding prairie dogs, and while this is contributing to the health of the coyotes, it's not the biggest reason. CPW says development near open spaces is a major factor.
Jeanie agrees.
"All the people are coming in, they (coyotes) see the pets as convenient meals it's like, what are we doing? Feeding them gourmet meals so they don't have to hunt prairie dogs and rabbits?"
While these accounts are a major concern for CPW, on Friday, it told community members that it relies on their reports. Since September, it's had only 11 calls related to coyotes attacking pets.
The agency uses these reports to determine if coyotes pose a threat to the community and so far, it says the coyote behavior around Erie is normal.
While CPW continues to work with the community to find solutions, Jeanie says for her, there is only one.
"I hope to hear that they're going to get rid of the coyotes. I don't care how. Just get rid of them. Get them out of here."
CPW says the best way to report coyote encounters is through the non-emergency police line.
