MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The City of Myrtle Beach is advising people to be on the lookout for coyotes, and to make sure they’re not attracting the animals to their homes.
City residents say they’ve spotted coyotes in their neighborhoods, and that coyotes have even killed their pets.
“A lot of people have lost pets. They’ve lost little kittens or puppies and they were sure it was a coyote that had gotten them,” said James Hogan. He’s lived near the Pine Lakes Country Club for almost 25 years. He says coyotes recently become a problem in his neighborhood.
“If it killed my pet it would become a major problem,” he said.Jay Butfiloski is the Alligator and Furbearer Program Coordinator with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. He says people are likely to see more coyotes this time of year since mating season is approaching, and juvenile animals are dispersing from their families.“Coyotes will catch and kill cats. Cats that are allowed to roam around after dark, it’s hard to say what could befall them,” warns Butfiloski. “Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, they’re here to stay. If you look across the U.S., the number of people that have tried to eliminate coyotes, they haven’t been able to do it.”
Myrtle Beach city officials warn against leaving food outside or even feeding your pets outdoors. They have not laid any coyote traps anywhere in the city.
“We’ve had requests throughout the years to try and trap coyotes but we’re not comfortable putting traps on somebody else’s private property,” said city spokesperson Mark Kruea. “It’s not as though the city has great swaths of public land where these coyotes live.”
Myrtle Beach is currently seeing more housing construction than ever, and Kruea says the city’s development likely is, to some degree, pushing coyotes out of their homes and into neighborhoods.
“As more new development occurs, the room for the wildlife does shrink a little bit, but coyotes have expanded; they have stretched their reach across the country,” states Kruea.
It is illegal to relocate nuisance animals, including coyotes, in South Carolina. Anyone who sees or traps a coyote must call a local wildlife control expert who will then kill it. You can not shoot and kill a coyote if you don’t have the necessary permits from SCDNR.
