LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Humane Society of Oldham County is advising pet owners to be on the lookout for coyotes.
The cats inside the Humane Society of Oldham County are safe and sound. However, Director of Operations Debbie Croak has a warning for Kentuckians who routinely let their animals outside.
“Just in the last couple of days we’ve talked to three different people that have had coyote attacks,” Croak told Spectrum News 1. Those attacks and sightings prompted the Humane Society to post a warning on Facebook, a post that’s been shared several hundred times.
Croak says even if your yard has a high fence, your pet is at risk.
“Coyotes, they’re a predator, and they are able to jump eight-foot fences with no problem,” Croak explains.
Croak says she recently treated a dog attacked by a coyote, and unfortunately it did not survive. And she has dealt with the wild canine herself. ,
Janie Hibbs, a humane society employee, says it’s not just small animals that are at risk of falling prey. “At night, it’s their hunting time and they are going out and looking for their dinner, so everybody needs to keep a good check on their pets if they can,” Hibbs said.
The Humane Society suggests installing motion-detection lights on your property if possible. When letting your animal out, make lots of noise. “Take a pan and a spoon and beat on that. A can with pennies. Anything you can do to make loud noises will scare them off,” Croak explained.
Properties along tree lines may be the most likely environment for sightings, according to Croak. Still, she cautions coyotes are more than willing to test the boundaries of their habitat and ours.
