Watch Your Pets-Coyotes Seen Surprisingly Close In WNY

It's not uncommon to find coyotes in the south towns in Western New York.  But seeing them in a village setting isn't quite as normal.

A picture was shared on social media today of a coyote that was spotted in the Mount Vernon area in Hamburg.  Mount Vernon is right on the lake between Cloverbank and Rodgers Road.  Route 5 runs right through it.  The picture, shared by Louie Tomassi shows the coyote simply standing in a yard right near the street near route 5 in Mount Vernon.

His post read "This picture was taken this morning at the corner of Route five in Mount Vernon. So keep an eye on your dogs and cats."

It looks very healthy.  However, you're not going to want to approach a coyote.  While they look like sweet, approachable dogs, they are not.  They can be aggressive and might bite if they think they are being attacked.

Why would coyotes be in a village setting?

While coyotes normally live in the woods, you will find them in certain suburbs if they think there is food and water available to them.  They're like nomads.  If they think they can get a free meal, they will.  Then when the food is gone, they will be too.

They have been known to dig into people's unsecured trash, hunt small rodents, and even eat pet food that people leave out.

The best thing to do if you see a coyote is to keep your distance.  Make sure that you're watching your small pets if you're letting them outside to run around or go to the bathroom too.  Other than that, you can admire them from a distance.